Venous Angioma of the Posterior Fossa

Abstract

The authors report 2 cases of venous angioma of the posterior fossa, an uncommon disorder. Case 1: A 17-year-old boy was admitted complaining of dizziness, headache, and vomiting. Neurological examination disclosed conjugate deviation to the right, left-sided limb and truncal ataxia, gait disturbance, and dysarthria. Plain computerized tomography (CT) showed a highdensity area indicating a hematoma in the left cerebellum. Enhanced CT showed a linear enhancement inside the hematoma, probably corresponding to a dilated draining vein. Vertebral angiography revealed a venous angioma in the early venous phase that was drained into a dilated precentral cerebellar vein. Case 2: A 33-year-old female was admitted complaining of nausea, vomiting, and vertigo. Neurological examination disclosed dysarthria, right-sided limb and truncal ataxia, and Bruns nystagmus. Plain CT showed a high-density area indicating a hematoma in the right cerebellum. Enhanced CT showed a nodular enhancement inside the hematoma, probably corresponding to a dilated draining vein. Vertebral angiography revealed a venous angioma in the early venous phase that was drained into a dilated inferior hemispheric vein. Surgical removal of the angioma was successfully performed in both cases. Radical operation is recommended in cases of hematoma because the frequency of rebleeding is high.