Cerebral Cavernous Malformation Associated Developmental Venous Anomaly

• Detection of cerebral cavernous malformation associated developmental venous anomalies in gradient-echo and susceptibility-weighted magnetic resonance imaging: can we skip the contrast?
• Optimizing gamma knife radiosurgery for cerebral cavernous malformation: Analysis of 54 patients treated at our university center
• Use of Anticoagulation for Secondary Stroke Prevention in Cerebral Cavernous Malformations: A Case Report
• Clinical, genomic, and histopathologic diversity in cerebral cavernous malformations
• Cavernous Venous Malformation(Archived)
• Development and Validation of a Supplementary Grading Scale for Outcomes of Brainstem Cavernous Malformations
• Developmental Venous Anomalies
• Management of Symptomatic Hemorrhage From a Developmental Venous Anomaly

A cerebral cavernous malformation (CCM) associated with a developmental venous anomaly (DVA) refers to the coexistence of two distinct cerebral vascular malformations.

• Cluster of abnormally dilated, thin-walled capillaries.
• Lacks intervening normal brain parenchyma.
• Low-flow lesion with risk of microhemorrhages or overt bleeding.
• Clinical presentations:
  • Seizures
  • Focal neurological deficits
  • Incidental finding on MRI

• Most common type of cerebral vascular malformation.
• Characterized by radially arranged medullary veins draining into a central trunk.
• Typically benign and asymptomatic.
• Found incidentally in most cases.

• Up to 20–30% of CCMs are associated with a DVA.
• Hemodynamic stress from the DVA may contribute to CCM formation or hemorrhage.
• Surgical relevance: DVAs drain normal brain tissue → must not be resected during cavernoma surgery.

Cerebral Cavernous Malformation Associated Developmental Venous Anomaly Diagnosis

Surgical planning must preserve the DVA to prevent venous infarction. Only the cavernoma should be targeted for resection if symptomatic.