Although uncommon, symptomatic vertebral hemangiomas can be painful and.Spinal hemangiomas are widespread: they are present in about 10% of people. Only rarely are they found in the cervical spine (neck).Background:The vertebral hemangiomas are benign vascular lesions occurring in spine. Most vertebral hemangiomas are located in either the thoracic (upper- to mid-) or lumbar (lower) spine. Spinal hemangiomas usually appear in the middle of your back (thoracic area) or your lower back (lumbar area).Spinal hemangiomas usually develop in the bones of the spine, known as vertebrae. Most bone hemangiomas are on the spine and develop after age 50. TheyвЂ™re common and can occur anywhere in the body: your skin, muscles, internal organs or bones.

This can lead to pain that radiates to the arms or legs, weakness, numbness, or clumsiness of the arms or legs, or compromised bowel and/or bladder control.A vertebra weakened by a hemangioma may collapse, a painful event known as a compression fracture. If the tumor expands beyond the bony boundaries or causes collapse of a vertebra it will create pressure on the surrounding nerves or spinal cord. This will aid in surgical planning.Symptoms vary depending on the size and location of the tumor most hemangiomas cause no symptoms at all.Among symptomatic hemangiomas, the most common symptom is pain at the tumor site, usually in the back. When a hemangioblastoma requires surgical treatment, the neurosurgeon will often need to вЂњmapвЂќ the blood supply through a specialized study known as an angiogram. Only spinal hemangiomas that cause pain or neurological symptoms will generally require treatment.As tumors of blood vessels, hemangiomas have an extremely robust blood supply. The majority of these tumors will be discovered only incidentally (in passing) or not at all, will never cause symptoms, and do not require treatment.

Contrast-enhancing agents may also help differentiate hemangiomas from other vertebral tumors, such as metastatic tumors.Scans of vertebral hemangiomas usually reveal details that are characteristic of these tumors. CT scans use a combination of X-rays and computer technology to produce detailed images of bones and soft tissues.Either of the above scans may be performed after the injection of a contrast-enhancing agent, a substance that highlights the tumor tissue within the spine. MR scans use magnets, radio waves, and computer technology to produce images of organs and tissues like the brain and spinal cord. Tumors in women are more likely to be symptomatic (cause symptoms).Vertebral hemangiomas are diagnosed by MR (magnetic resonance) imaging and/or CT (computed tomography, also known as a CAT scan). They occur with equal frequency in men and women.

Treatment options include radiation therapy, embolization, kyphoplasty for compression fracture, or resection (removal) of compromised bone. This procedure, known as embolization, can help treat symptoms as well as make surgical resection of these lesions much easier and safer.When forming a treatment plan, our neurosurgeons consider the patientвЂ™s health along with the tumorвЂ™s size, location, symptoms, and blood supply.In general, only vertebral hemangiomas that cause substantial pain or neurological symptoms will require treatment. During this study, performed by neurosurgeons and neuroradiologists, agents can be injected that slow down or eliminate the flow of blood to the tumor. During this procedure, dye is injected into blood vessels, defining the blood supply to the tumor and the architecture of vessels within the tumor. Axial scans, or scans that show a horizontal cross-section of the bone, reveal a different viewвЂ“the вЂњpolka-dot sign.вЂќ This view shows circular cross-sectional вЂњslicesвЂќ of the thickened bands inside the normal bone, producing the appearance of polka-dots.For hemangiomas that require surgical treatment, the blood supply to the tumor is defined through a specialized radiographic study known as an angiogram. The bands of thickened and normal bone alternate in a pattern that looks like the stripes on corduroy.

They can also offer you a second opinion. AndersonВ (Pediatric) are experts in treating vertebral hemangiomas. PaulВ C.В McCormick, Michael G.

Hemangioma Spine