Hemangiomas of the spine are non-cancerous (benign) tumors made of abnormal blood vessels that can develop in the spine and elsewhere in the body. They occur more often as people age.
Spinal tumors such as hemangiomas may be referred to by the area of the spine in which they occur:
- Cervical (neck area)
- Thoracic (mid-back)
- Lumbar (lower back)
- Sacrum (bone at the end of the spine)
Most hemangiomas occur in the thoracic or lumbar areas of the back.
Hemangiomas can be categorized as benign or aggressive. Aggressive hemangiomas are a type of benign hemangioma that may grow and extend outside the bone into the soft tissue and may require treatment.
What Are Symptoms of Hemangiomas of the Spine?
Most of the time, hemangiomas of the spine don’t cause symptoms. When symptoms of hemangiomas of the spine occur, they are similar to those of all types of spinal tumors and include:
- Pain
- Does not go away with rest
- May be worse at night
- Is unprovoked
- Deep and aching
- Muscle weakness
- Numbness in the arms or legs
- Numbness, tingling, or general loss of sensation
- Difficulty urinating
- Bowel retention
How Are Hemangiomas of the Spine Diagnosed?
Hemangiomas of the spine are diagnosed with a patient history and physical examination. Often, hemangiomas of the spine are an incidental finding on radiological imaging of the body and spine.
Imaging studies used to help diagnose hemangiomas of the spine include:
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan
- Computerized tomography (CT) scan
- X-rays
What Is the Treatment for Hemangiomas of the Spine?
Most hemangiomas of the spine are benign and do not cause symptoms, so treatment is often not needed.
If symptoms are present, treatment may include:
- Endovascular embolization to treat painful hemangiomas
- Percutaneous vertebroplasty for pain relief
- Transpedicular ethanol injection may be used but can cause complications
- Radiation therapy may be used to treat painful lesions because spinal hemangiomas are radiosensitive
- Surgery
- To remove the vertebra (vertebrectomy)
- To remove the vertebra bones (laminectomy)
What Are Complications of Hemangiomas of the Spine?
Complications of hemangiomas of the spine are rare and may include:
- Burst fractures, in which the vertebrae are crushed in all directions
- Bleeding (hemorrhage), because hemangiomas are highly vascular
- Epidural extension that can lead to neurologic symptoms
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Image source: iStock Images
https://www.brighamandwomens.org/spinal-tumor-program/spinal-cord-and-column-tumors
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532997/