Capillary hemangioma of the spinal cord. Report of four cases.

The authors describe the clinicopathological features of four cases of capillary hemangioma of the spinal cord. All occurred in adult patients. The presenting symptoms were similar to those of more common intramedullary tumors. Radiologically, they resemble other vascular spinal cord tumors. All patients underwent surgery, and the outcomes varied. Histologically, the lesions resembled capillary hemangioma of skin or of soft tissue that is composed of lobules of small capillaries with associated feeding vessels, all enveloped by a delicate fibrous capsule. Capillary hemangiomas of the central and peripheral nervous system are extremely rare. Although examples of these lesions have been described as occurring in the dura mater and in peripheral nerve, including spinal nerve roots, none has occurred within the spinal cord. Knowledge of their existence may help practitioners to avoid misdiagnosis of tumor and resultant overtreatment of these benign lesions.