Neuroimaging of Cavernous Malformations

Abstract

Purpose of review: Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) are common vascular abnormalities often discovered on imaging as an incidental finding. The most common clinical presentations of CCMs include seizure, headache, focal neurological deficits, and intracranial hemorrhage. This article discusses the most recent guidelines including imaging diagnostic criteria and radiographic standards of CCMs and reviews the utility of currently available imaging techniques.

Recent findings: Gradient echo T2*-weighted imaging and susceptibility-weighted imaging are the recommended imaging protocols for evaluation of suspected CCMs. Diffusion tensor imaging-based tractography provides visualization of the eloquent white matter tracks in the brain. This imaging is increasingly used in clinical practice to assist in selecting the optimal surgical approach, especially for brainstem lesions. Quantitative susceptibility mapping and dynamic contrast-enhanced quantitative perfusion are presently considered experimental. Its proposed value might prove helpful in the future to monitor disease activity and response to treatments. The choice of imaging modality of CCMs depends on the goals the clinician expects to achieve, such as establishing the initial diagnosis, follow-up and monitoring disease activity, preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative evaluation, or research and experimental work on patients with CCM.

Keywords: Cavernoma; Cerebral cavernous malformation; Diffusion tensor imaging; Quantitative susceptibility mapping; Susceptibility-weighted imaging.