Abstract

Aim: Cerebral cavernous angiomas (CCAs) are a rare type of hamartoma characterized by a small sinusoidal vein without normal
parenchyma. This study aimed to assess the radiological findings, clinical symptoms, and localization of CCAs and compare results
with those in the literature.
Material and Methods: Patients with CCA who underwent surgery between January 2012 and January 2018 were retrospectively
evaluated.
Results: Of the 41 patients with CCA, 24 (58.5%) were males and 17 (41.5%) were females. The patients were aged from 6 to 72
(mean: 36.75 ± 16.97) years. Moreover, 13 (31.7%), 6 (14.6%), 14 (34.1%), 4 (9.8%), and 2 (4.9%) patients presented with supratentorial lesions localized in the frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital, and thalamic regions, respectively. Two (4.9%) patients had cavernomas in the infratentorial area that contains the pons. No pathology was observed on brain computed tomography scan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the control examinations.
Conclusion: Surgical excision should be performed in individuals with cavernous angiomas that are symptomatic. Critically
localized and asymptomatic cavernous angiomas can be monitored with MRI at regular intervals. Surgical treatment should always
be considered since neurological deterioration may occur due to epileptic seizures and recurrent bleeding that do not respond to
treatments.

Key words: Angioma; Hamartoma; Epilepsy.