Atypical hemangioma in the spine

@katrina123 I have a couple hemangiomas in my vertebrae too. Results of imaging need the consideration by a specialist, so don't worry too much right now since you are awaiting advice of your doctor. It may not be something of concern. With the holiday weekend, it will likely take a few days before you hear from the doctor. Often a hemangioma has no symptoms and does not need treatment which is true of mine. I am a spine surgery patient and had a fusion of C5/C6 several years ago. Is this the first time you have had imaging of your spine?

There is a big difference between a hemangioma and an atypical hemangioma.

@katrina123 I see your original post was a few years ago. Would you be able to share what you know now about an atypical hemangioma? Does this cause weakness in your spine?

From Journal of Orthopedic Surgery.

The main difference between typical and atypical hemangiomas of the spine is the ratio of fat to vascular components. Atypical hemangiomas have a higher vascular component and are more likely to be aggressive.
Explanation
Typical hemangiomas usually have a high signal intensity on T1-weighted MRI images. They appear as "corduroy" or "polka-dot" signs on imaging.
Atypical hemangiomas
Have a low signal intensity on T1-weighted MRI images. They can appear isointense or hypointense on T1-weighted images, and hyperintense on T2-weighted images.
Aggressive hemangiomas
Grow beyond the bone's surface and into soft tissues. They can cause cortical destruction, bone expansion, and invasion of the spinal canal.
Atypical hemangiomas can be difficult to diagnose because they can mimic metastatic lesions or primary bony malignancies. They can also be symptomatic.
Imaging techniques Diffusion weighted imaging (DWI), Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps, T1-weighted dynamic contrast-enhancing, and Quantitative chemical shift MR imaging.
Metastatic vertebral lesion mimicking an atypical hemangioma with ...
An atypical hemangioma is a hemangioma that does not present with a classical imaging appearance and may resemble a more aggressive lesion.
ScienceDirect.com
Vertebral hemangiomas: a review on diagnosis and management
May 24, 2024 — In contrast to typical VHs, atypical VHs tend to have a higher vascular component-to-fat ratio

Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research
Spinal Hemangioma: What It Is, Causes, Symptoms & Treatment
Dec 15, 2023 — How fast do spinal hemangiomas grow? Most spinal hemangiomas grow slowly or stop growing (but don't shrink)

Cleveland Clinic
Show all
This is for informational purposes only. For medical advice or diagnosis, consult a professional. Generative AI is experimental.

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November 2024 - My new spine MRi shows that I have more atypical hemangiomas on my spine again.

My oncologist initially (2024) said I had a 10% chance of having a breast metastasis on my spine. Atypical hemangiomas and metastasis look very much alike on MRI's. Now she says she is not sure because she along with other doctors compared this 2024 MRI to one that was done a couple of years ago. I will have another MRI in 5 more months to see if there is a change to help to determine if the tumors are growing and whether they are causing any problems.

I have pain in my back and some other issues but it is difficult to know what is causing what. I also have an L3 fracture. I will just wait for my next MRI and hope that I don't experience any neurological problems in the meantime.

@katrina123 Thank you for sharing this information. I know waiting and watching can be daunting. Your L3 fracture is probably causing pain. What are they advising for that?

My elderly mom had a spine compression fracture and was in a back brace for several weeks while it healed. Sometimes they can do a procedure such as kyphoplasty to cement the fracture back in place. My mom wasn't a candidate for that due to severe osteoporosis.

My husband had melanoma on his hand 4 years ago, and he goes through pretty rigorous scans and imaging. We are waiting for an opinion on his CT scan of his lungs. At the time of surgery, the margins were clear and they did not think it had spread. They were investigating a nodule from a prior recent MRI. It may have disappeared from the report I saw.

Do you keep a journal of symptoms? I've done that with my spine issues and it really helped show a pattern of advancing symptoms prior to my surgery. My spine surgery was 8 years ago, and I have not had problems since then.

My L3 fracture happened while I was trying to recover from a knee replacement with a complication. I was in such horrible pain from the knee replacement that my L3 fracture didn't get the attention it should have. By the time I acknowledged it, it was too late for the kyphoplasty.

I hope your husbands CT scan of his lungs is clear. The fear of metastasis is difficult to deal with.

@katrina123 We had good news today from the oncologist. My husband's lungs are clear, and the nodule previously seen has disappeared. Doctor said it may have been from an infection, and he had Covid prior to the test where it showed up. He has passed the 5 year mark with no problems which is a milestone. He has a genetically high risk for cancer, so we could find ourselves there again, so we remain vigilant. He does worry every time there is a scan, but know that is dropped to a chest x-ray annually. He doesn't need to do the body and brain scans now. Thanks for your hopes and concern.

That's great news. I am happy for you.