Cavernoma
Overview
A cavernoma is a cluster of abnormal blood vessels, usually found in the brain and spinal cord.
Symptoms
A cavernoma often does not cause symptoms, but when symptoms do occur they can include: bleeding (haemorrhage)fits (seizures)headachesneurological problems, such as dizziness,slurred speech (dysarthria),double vision, balance problems andtremorweakness, numbness, tiredness,memory problemsand difficulty concentratinga type ofstrokecalled a haemorrhagic stroke The severity and duration of symptoms can vary depending on the size, location and number of cavernomas. Problems can occur if the cavernoma bleeds or presses on certain areas of the brain. The cells lining a cavernoma are often thinner than those that line normal blood vessels, which means they're prone to leaking blood. In most cases, bleeding is small – usually around half a teaspoonful of blood – and may not cause other symptoms. But severe haemorrhages can be life threatening and may lead to long-lasting problems. You should seek medical help as soon as possible if you experience any of the above symptoms for the first time. Any symptoms you have may come and go as the cavernoma bleeds and then reabsorbs blood. It's important to closely monitor your symptoms, as any new symptoms might be a sign of a haemorrhage. Your doctor can advise you about what to do if you experience any new or worsening symptoms. They may also recommend having a further brain scan. MRI and CT scans can be used to detect bleeding on the brain, although they cannot necessarily identify cavernomas at an increased risk of bleeding. This is because the features of a cavernoma that can be seen on a brain scan, such as an increase in size, do not appear to be directly linked to the likelihood of bleeding. Although cavernomas can get bigger, large cavernomas are not any more likely to bleed than smaller ones.
Causes
In most cases, there's no clear reason why a person develops a cavernoma. The condition can sometimes run in families – less than 50% of cases are thought to be genetic. But in most cases cavernomas occur randomly.Genetic testingcan be carried out to determine whether a cavernoma is genetic or whether it's occurred randomly. If you or your partner have the genetic type of cavernoma, there's a 1 in 2 chance of passing on the condition to any children that you conceive. Some cavernoma cases have also been linked to radiation exposure, such as previously havingradiotherapyto the brain, usually as a child.Read more about medical radiation on the GOV.UK website.