Hemangioma is manifested by a pathological proliferation of blood vessels. It can be a small spot on the skin or a large tumor of an internal organ. In all cases, the pathology will have its characteristic symptoms and follow standard diagnostic and treatment algorithms. Vascular formation rarely degenerates into a malignant tumor, however, it is able to grow into neighboring tissues, destroying them. A hemangioma does not metastasize, but it can cause a recurrence. It is generally believed that almost everyone has a hemangioma at some stage of their life, especially in childhood. According to statistics, 1 out of 10 children suffer from this disease at an early age. In childhood, rapid tumor growth is characteristic. At birth, it may look like a tiny red dot, and after the first two months it can grow to the size of a fist. In advanced cases, it can grow to such a size that it occupies most of the face or stomach.
The hemangioma is usually irregular in shape and not quite flat, but raised above the skin. The color varies from red to purple. It can be used to determine which mesh develops most in the hemangioma of the skin — venous or arterial. If the formation is more red in color, then the arterial mesh prevails in the structure, and vice versa. During the examination, the doctor may also notice the center of the tumor — the point from which the vessels diverge in all directions. The nature of this phenomenon can be either stellate or branched, which is important in making a diagnosis. A cavernous hemangioma of the skin, for example, looks like a purple nodular formation that increases with coughing or other exertion. You should pay attention to how the tumor behaves when pressed: when squeezed, the cavernous hemangioma turns pale and thickens, and after the pressure is removed, it becomes the same.
There are different types of hemangiomas (by structure, localization, appearance, blood flow rate, and other signs).
By structure:
- Capillary hemangioma is
often diagnosed
and is considered the initial stage
of tumor formation. When
localized in an internal
organ, for example, in
the adrenal gland, it will
look like a tangle of altered
capillaries. The superficial pathology
is often
called arachnoid hemangioma
(stellate), because it
looks like a flat
spider with legs extending
from its body in
different directions. A tumor from
small vessels,
in most
clinical cases, implies
a good prognosis.
- Cavernous
hemangioma contains cavities
(cavities) containing blood
and intertwined
veins and
arteries of different calibers.
This formation
often causes complications and can reach
impressive sizes (up
to 10 cm
or more).
Giant hemangioma
often leads
to disruption
of the vital activity of the organ in
which it is located. The tumor can
compress or grow
into neighboring
tissues. Bleeding from
a formation of a similar diameter
is sometimes fatal.
- Combined
hemangioma combines the
structures of the capillary and
cavernous variants. It is a typical form
common in adult patients.
Based on which vessels
formed it, there
is an arterial and venous
hemangioma.
- Mixed hemangioma means that other tissues (lymphoid, nervous, etc.) are present in the vascular neoplasm. The clinical picture and prognosis will depend on the predominance of certain structures.