Angiographically occult capillary telangiectasias, vascular malformations : MRI findings in 7 patients

Objective: Describe the MRI findings in capillary telangiectasias. Materials and methods : Between 1996 and 1999, we observed 9 cases of capil lary relangiectasia in 7 patients explored 5 times for posterior fossa symp toms. In two cases capillary telangiectasia was a fortuitous discovery. All patients were explored by MRI with T1 sequences with and without gadoliniu m injections, turbo spin echo T2 coupled in 5 cases with a double echo grad ient echo T2 sequence (TR : 970 ms, TE : 15 and 35 ms). Two patients also u nderwent vertebral angiography. Results: The telangiectasia gave a low intensity signal on T1 sequences in 2 of the 9 cases and a discretely high intensity signal on T2 sequences in all cases. After gadolinium injection, 9 telelangiectasias showed homogeneo us or speckled enhancement. The echo-gradient T2 images showed a Very low i ntensity signal in 7 out of 7 cases on the second echo. At the first echo, 4 capillary telangiectasias were undetectable. The two vertebral angiograph ies were normal and the follow-rip MRI in 5 patients showed lesion stabilit y. Conclusion: Pontile lesions with no mass effect showing enhancement after g adolinium injection and with or without a discrete T2 high intensity signal brit with a frank echo-gradient T2 signal strongly suggest capillary telan giectasia.