We studied 17 patients with Venous angiomas, 4 of whom had associated
cavernous angiomas. All underwent MRI with spin-echo T1- and T2-weight
ed images and T1-weighted images after Gd-DTPA; MR angiography (MRA) w
as also performed with 3D and 2D time-of-flight technique; 5 patients
underwent conventional angiography. Contrast-enhanced MRI demonstrated
all the lesions, showing the peripheral medullary veins, the collecto
r and the type of drainage. Both 3D and 2D MRA provided diagnostic inf
ormation identical to that obtained after infusion of Gd-DTPA. Contras
t-enhanced were T1-weighted images and MRA superior in all the cases t
o images without gadolinium. The possible association with cavernous a
ngiomas (24% in our study) indicates T2-weighted imaging.