Cavernoma

Also know as a cerebral cavernous malformation, a cavernoma is an abnormal collection of blood vessels in the brain or spine.

Find a consultant

What is a cavernoma?

A cavernoma is an abnormal collection of blood vessels in the brain or spinal cord. Also referred to as cavernous malformations, cavernomas vary in size and look a bit like mulberries.

They can sometimes compress the structures of the brain, leading to bleeding or other neurological conditions. When this happens, we at HCA UK can help.

Need to know

What are the symptoms of a cavernoma?

Quite often, cavernomas won't lead to any symptoms. When they do, these might include:

bleeding (haemorrhage)
haemorrhagic stroke
headaches
seizures
dizziness
slurred speech
double vision
shaking weakness
numbness
tiredness
difficulty concentrating

How is a cavernoma diagnosed?

People with cavernomas don't often have symptoms, so they're often only picked up on during tests for other conditions.

However, if your GP or consultant think you may have a cavernoma, they may recommend an MRI and/or a CT scan. Both are imaging tests which show the brain and spinal cord in great detail.

Potential treatment options

If you've been diagnosed with a cavernoma, your GP or neurologist will discuss your treatment options with you. They might prescribe medicines to treat symptoms like headaches and seizures.

If you're likely to experience bleeding (haemorrhage), they might recommend neurosurgery to remove the cavernoma or stereotactic radiosurgery to target the cavernoma with radiation energy.