Can a spinal hemangioma be misdiagnosed?

Unfortunately, not all hemangiomas have the typical appearance, and they can mimic metastases on routine MR imaging. These are generally referred to as atypical hemangiomas and can result in misdiagnosis and ultimately additional imaging, biopsy, and unnecessary costs.

Can vertebral hemangiomas be malignant?

The diagnosis of vertebral hemangioma is very crucial and can be challenging in some cases. It may mimic malignant lesions in both clinical and radiological behavior [7]. Hemangiomas can be aggressive, compressing the spinal cord with paraparesis and spasticity as in our case.

What neurological symptoms can a spinal neck hemangioma have on someone?

Most hemangiomas are symptom-free, but symptoms may include:

• Back pain.
• Pain that radiates along a nerve due to inflammation or irritation of the nerve root.
• Spinal cord compression.

Is vertebral hemangioma serious?

Spinal hemangiomas are widespread: they are present in about 10% of people. In fact, they are the most common benign spinal tumors. 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.

Can a tumor be mistaken for a hemangioma?

Hemangiomas share similar characteristics to other liver lesions, and are commonly mistaken for malignant hyper vascular tumors of the liver, such as hepatoma (hepatocellular carcinoma) and fibrolamellar carcinoma.

Why do I have hemangiomas on my spine?

Hemangiomas, Benign: Hemangiomas are non-cancerous (benign) tumors made of abnormal blood vessels. They are common and can occur anywhere in the body. Most hemangiomas of bone are in the spine and are found more often with advancing age.

What is a benign vertebral hemangioma?

Hemangiomas are noncancerous (benign) tumors made of abnormal blood vessels. They’re common and can occur anywhere in the body: your skin, muscles, internal organs or bones. Most bone hemangiomas are on the spine and develop after age 50.

Is it common to have multiple spinal hemangiomas?

Abstract. Hemangioma of the bone is a benign tumor usually involving the spine and the bones of the skull and pelvis. It may be either a single lesion or part of a generalized multifocal disease. Multiple lesions involving non-adjacent vertebrae are rare.