Multiple occult vascular malformations of the brain and spinal cord: MRI diagnosis

Summary We report a patient with multiple angiographically occult vascular malformations in the brain and spine. Magnetic resonance imaging showed multiple lesions in brain and spine with hypointense areas on both T1 and T2-weighted images. These hypointense areas are usually secondary to hemosiderin deposits consistent with remote bleeding in the lesions. We conclude that when magnetic resonance reveals an intraspinal lesion with signal intensity characteristics consistent with a vascular malformation, an examination of the brain should be performed to rule out associated intracranial lesions. The finding of multiple lesions in the brain with identical signal intensity characteristics reinforces the diagnosis of vascular malformation.