Thursday, October 8, 2009

VEIN OF GALEN MALFORMATION

Vein of Galen malformation is a rare arterial venous malformation that develops between six and eleven weeks in utero. This causes an abnormal communication between the arteries and veins. Vein of Galen malformation typically occurs in new born babies with severe congestive heart failure, hydrocephalus, loud intracranial bruit, and seizure. An older child with a vein of Galen malformation will usually have an abnormally large head, developmental delays, learning disabilities, and strokes.



CT, MRI, and Angiography are all tools used to diagnosis vein of Galen Malformation. To repair this vessel, an embolization is preformed instead of traditional surgery. If this vessel is not repaired, it can lead to brain damage, stroke, or death.




MRI image vein of Galen malformation.


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