Cavernous malformations, also known as cavernomas or cavernous hemangiomas, are abnormal clusters of small blood vessels in the brain and spinal cord that create wide “caverns” of slow-flowing blood. When they’re found in the brain, they’re called cerebral cavernous malformations, or CCMs. The clusters are blackberry-like in appearance and can grow in size and number over time. These lesions can range in size from a few millimeters to several centimeters in diameter and occur anywhere in the brain or spinal cord.
The blood vessel walls in cavernomas are weak and thin and can leak blood into the surrounding brain or spinal cord tissue. This leak can damage surrounding brain tissue and cause ongoing neurological problems. In rare cases, a more severe bleeding event can cause a stroke and even death.
At Penn Medicine’s Cavernous Malformation Center, our specialists provide the highest quality care to diagnose and treat your condition. We use advanced technology not widely available at other centers, like cavernoma-specific MRIs, and have surgeons specifically focused on vascular malformations. We’re the only hospital in our region designated as a Center of Excellence for Cerebral Cavernous Malformation by the Alliance to Cure Cavernous Malformation.
Is a cavernoma a brain tumor?
Cavernous malformations are not brain tumors. They are irregular blood vessels. Unlike cancerous brain tumors, they are not made up of rapidly dividing cells and do not spread to other areas of the body.
Despite not being defined as tumors, about 20 percent of lesions do develop in the brainstem. This is the region at the base of your brain that carries information between your brain and spinal cord. The brainstem also controls many involuntary functions, like breathing and heart rate.
