Abstract #0980

Venkatasubramanian P, Wyrwicz A, Shenkar R, Awad I, Zhao J

Cerebral cavernus malformations (CCM)grow by a process of vascular cavern proliferation and consist mainly of blood-filled caverns lined by a single layer of endothelial cells. Biologic activity in CCMs include angiogenesis and inflammation demonstrated by hemosiderin laden macrophages. Although MR imaging is helpful in detecting the presence of CCMs in patients, clinical images do not reveal the angioarchitecture of CCMs. High resolution MR imaging of excised human CCMs at high field strength exquisitely captures caverns at various stages of proliferation without the use of any external contrast agent. An improved understanding of lesion genesis and proliferation in CCMs may lead to more specifically tailored treatments for patients.