Brain arteriovenous malformations: from diagnosis to treatment.

Brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVM) are a major cause of morbidity in young people. The main mode of presentation is with a cerebral bleeding or seizures, although nowadays, due to the increased use of MRI, more asymptomatic bAVMs are encountered. The clinical course of asymptomatic bAVMs seems to be mild in comparison to bAVMs that presented with a cerebral hemorrhage. This finding may lead to a paradigm shift regarding treatment of asymptomatic bAVMs. This review discusses the latest findings in bAVM epidemiology and natural history, and compares the optimal imaging modalities and best treatment options.