Vascular mass lesions and hypervascular tumors in the head and neck. Characteristics at CT, MR imaging and angiography.

A retrospective analysis of the findings at contrast-enhanced CT, MR imaging and angiography in 24 patients with vascular mass lesions and 11 patients with hypervascular tumors in the head and neck region was undertaken. We attempted to find criteria at CT and MR imaging that could aid in differentiating between different lesion categories. Parameters such as contrast enhancement at CT, signal intensities at MR imaging, phleboliths and peritumoral hypervascularity were correlated to clinical presentation, biopsies and angiography. MR imaging was superior to CT and far better than angiography in delineating cavernous hemangiomas. Contrast-enhanced CT may better differentiate between cavernous and capillary hemangiomas than MR. MR imaging clearly differentiated cavernous hemangiomas from hypervascular tumors, but was, like CT, inadequate for distinguishing between capillary hemangiomas and hypervascular tumors. Lymphangiomas and cavernous hemangiomas had similar appearances at CT and MR imaging.