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Neurology (Expert Forum)
Cavernous angioma
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Cavernous angioma
by MachelleS, May 27, 2003 12:00AM
I went to the doctor on May 9,2003 from having severe headaches, confusion and vision problems. I was sent for an MRI with contrast and sent straight to the hospital for a bleed that was thought to be an AVM. They kept me for evaluation until the following Monday and I had an angiogram on May 12th. On the MRI with contrast they diagnosed between AVM and cavernous angioma. Had the angiogram and AVM was ruled out. I am to see a neurologist within three weeks for another MRI to receive my final diagnosis cavernous angioma or cerebellar bleed. By report this is located between the spinal cord and optical. My symptoms are resolving except for last night I had a headache for the first time since leaving the hospital, felt like a drunk person and head spinning. I am in the dark on what a cavernous angioma is and how would I know if there was a re-bleed. I didn't receive any information or actually talk to the neurologist after the test. He reported to my family that it was not an AVM and to follow for MRI in three weeks. Please help me I am clueless.
Thank You
Thank You
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-Neuro-M.D.-JT, May 28, 2003 12:00AM
First of all, with any symptoms of new or recurrent headache with visual changes or confusion you should call your doctor ASAP or go to the ER, because that's the kind of symptoms you would get with rebleeding. So if you're still having the symptoms from the other night, give your doc a call.
A cavernous angioma is an abnormal collection of tiny blood vessels in your brain. It's not a tumor and within the collection of vessels there's no brain tissue intermixed. Cavernous angiomas can bleed (.5-1% risk each year) and then calcify (collect calcium) or cause seizures and other neurological problems depending on where they are. I'm assuming that when you said "optical" you meant occipital lobe which is the back part of your brain that controls vision and is right next to the cerebellum which can causes dizziness if there's a problem there.
Before you go to your next visit, call your docs and tell them your symptoms. Also let them know you'd like more information on what this is and what you can expect. I can understand that a bleed in the brain can certainly be scary, but the more you understand about your condition and what to look for, the better off you'll be. Good luck.
A cavernous angioma is an abnormal collection of tiny blood vessels in your brain. It's not a tumor and within the collection of vessels there's no brain tissue intermixed. Cavernous angiomas can bleed (.5-1% risk each year) and then calcify (collect calcium) or cause seizures and other neurological problems depending on where they are. I'm assuming that when you said "optical" you meant occipital lobe which is the back part of your brain that controls vision and is right next to the cerebellum which can causes dizziness if there's a problem there.
Before you go to your next visit, call your docs and tell them your symptoms. Also let them know you'd like more information on what this is and what you can expect. I can understand that a bleed in the brain can certainly be scary, but the more you understand about your condition and what to look for, the better off you'll be. Good luck.
