Head and Neck Imaging

Vascular malformation, head and neck

congenital structural anomaly of the vascular system. The lesion is present at birth, but may only become obvious later in life due to progressive ectasia. A vascular malformation grows with the child. More rapid size fluctuations may be caused by a change in flow or pressure, or formation of collateral vessels. Vascular malformations may be classified as being predominantly an arterial, venous, capillary or lymphatic abnormality; often a combination of these abnormalities is found in the same lesion. Vascular malformations may also be classified as 'low flow' or 'high flow' lesions, a distinction of obvious clinical importance.

The head and neck is a region predisposed for vascular malformations. See lymphangioma head and neck, arteriovenous malformation head and neck, cystic hygroma head and neck.

A vascular malformation is to be distinguished from a haemangioma (see haemangioma head and neck), a tumoral lesion with a different clinical presentation and prognosis.

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