Cerebroretinal vasculopathy mimicking a brain tumor: a case of a rare hereditary syndrome.

We report a 35-year-old man with hereditary cerebroretinal vasculopathy (CRV) characterized by retinal microvascular changes and a right frontal intracerebral mass lesion that suggested a brain tumor. Histopathologic analysis of the patient's brain lesion as well as reviewed specimens of the patient's mother, who had reportedly died of a brain tumor, showed no neoplasia but did show cerebral microvasculopathy. CRV should be considered as a differential diagnosis for patients with intracerebral mass lesions, retinal vascular changes, and a positive family history of "brain tumors."