Clinical and imaging study of diffuse cerebral arteriovenous malformations

Objective: To study the clinical features, imaging and pathological characteristics and treatment of a special subtype of cerebral arteriovenous malformations（AVMs）, i e diffuse AVM. Methods: The related clinical information of 141 AVM cases which were diagnosed by cerebral angiogram was reviewed and analyzed. Results: Six examples of diffuse AVMs were found among the 141 cerebral AVMs Five patients experienced intracerebral hemorrhage On angiography, the diffuse AVMs included multiple small arterial feeders, scattered, ill defined and faintly dyed vessels without an identifiable compact nidus Among four cases of surgical excision, total removal was only reached in 2 On histological examination, normal cerebral tissue was found between the abnormal AVM vessels. Conclusion: The diffuse cerebral AVM is different from the typical AVM on angiography and histopathology These lesions are liable to rupture in the nature history and should be treated deliberately It is suggested that surgical excision be taken if only the lesion intersperses among silent areas of the brain.