vascular anomalies

Last reviewed 01/2018

• vascular anomalies have been divided into vascular tumours and vascular malformations (1).
  • vascular tumours
    • infantile haemangioma
      • includes superficial and deep infantile angiomas
        • the superficial infantile haemangioma is most commonly known as a 'strawberry' naevus, on account of its usual clinical appearance in the form of a sharply circumscribed oval or round, soft, domed swelling of intense scarlet-red colour
    • congenital haemangioma ( rapidly involuting congenital haemangioma (RICH) and noninvoluting congenital haemangioma (NICH) )
    • tufted angioma
    • kaposiform haemangioendothelioma
    • haemangiopericytoma
    • pyogenic granuloma
    • spindle-cell haemangioendothelioma
  • vascular malformations
    • simple
      • capillary
      • venous
      • lymphatic
      • arterial
    • combined
      • arteriovenous fistula, arteriovenous malformation (AVM), capillary venous malformation, capillary-lymphatic venous malformation, lymphatic venous malformation, capillary AVM, capillary-lymphatic AVM

Vascular malformations are also divided into fast-flow and slow-flow (high flow and low flow) lesions depending on the vascular components and flow characteristics (1,2):

• fast-flow - mainly arterial channels including arteriovenous malformations, arteriovenous fistulas, capillary AVM
• slow-flow - capillary, venous, lymphatic channels and combinations

Reference:

• 1. Garzon MC et al. Vascular malformations: Part I. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2007;56(3):353-70
• 2. Konez O et al. An appropriate diagnostic workup for suspected vascular birthmarks. Cleve Clin J Med. 2004;71(6):505-10