Diagnostic imaging of vascular anomalies.

Medical imaging has become critically important in the diagnosis and treatment planning of vascular anomalies. The classification of lesions into fast-flow and slow-flow categories, the identification of a soft tissue mass, and the determination of the extent of the lesions are all facilitated by the use of magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasonography, catheter angiography, and other imaging studies. The use of these imaging techniques in the diagnosis and assessment of vascular tumors, malformations, and combined malformation syndromes is discussed in this article.