Capillary telangiectasia vs. venous angioma in pontine area

[usedtobenormal]

I have been told a have "probably a small central pontine capillary telangiectasia vs. venous angioma" detected using gadolinium enhancement on MRI.  This was detected during my MRI during my MS workup.  I do have low grade chronic vertigo, dizziness, bilateral tinnitus, and transient cognitive issues for the past six months.  I do not know if these symptoms are from MS or if they could be from a possible capillary telangiectasia vs. venous angioma.  My questions are the following: What is the prognosis of a capillary telangiectasia vs. venous angioma located on the brainstem?  How often do these develop adjacent cavernous angiomas? How often do they hemorrhage? I did not have a gradient echo MRI performed, should I ask my neurologist to consider this?  

Thank you most sincerely for your help.

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-PW]

this finding (considering the scan is read correctly, I have not seen the scan) is often an incidental finding and usually has no clinical significance. They have developed slowly over time and unles large usually do nto cause symtpoms

while the risk of bleeding is not zero, it is extremely small ,probably less than 1% for both - it is probably impossible to tell which one it is unless under the microsope. No surgery though is indicated as surgery is risky in this area. Other causes of you symptoms should be thoroughly evalauted ie if they are from your MS

Cavernous angioma are a seperate entity and not related to the above

A gradient echo is more sensitive at picking up old blood, but is not routinely done as part of the MRI sequence. Roughly similar but not as sensitive information is obtained from the T2 part of the MRI scan which is done with all scans. As these tumours are unlikely to have bled in the past, the test is probably not indicated, and I would not do another MRI just for this (in my opinion). However it is an easy sequence to add to an MRI, and at your next MRI for MS, it could be done

Good luck