Ifyouoralovedonehasrecentlybeendiagnosedwithanarteriovenousmalformation（AVM）ofthebrain,itcanbeastressfulandconfusingtime.You,aswellasotherfamilyandfriends,mayhaveconcernsaboutwhatthediagnosismeansforthepatient'slong-termhealthandwhethertreatmentispossible.Tohelpalleviatetheseanxieties,thisarticleprovidesanswerstocommonquestionsaboutbrainAVM.WhatisanAVMofthebrain?AnAVMofthebrain（alsoknownasacerebralAVM）isadisorderofthebody'scirculatorysystem.AVMsoccurwhenanintricatetangleofbloodvesselsdirectlydivertsbloodfromthearteriestotheveins.Thoughlocalizedinthebrain,cerebralAVMscanleadtosevereneurologicalproblems.Leftuntreated,acerebralAVMcancauseseverehemorrhaging,whichmayleadtoseriouscomplicationsordeath.HowcommonarecerebralAVMs?ItisestimatedthatanAVMofthebrainoccursinapproximately1inevery200to500people（lessthanonepercentofthegeneralpopulation）.CerebralAVMsarecommonlymisdiagnosed,withmostcasesfoundonlyincidentallythroughtheperformanceofCT（computedtomography）and/orMRIscansonthebrain.Patientsoftencomplainofregularheadachesandseizuresbeforediagnosis.Otherneurologicalcomplicationscandevelopincludingspeechandvisualdifficulty,dizziness,memorydeficits,confusion,hallucinations,dementiaanddifficultywitheventplanning.Physicalsideeffectsrangefromlossofcoordination,numbness,tinglingandspontaneouspaintopermanentparalysis.Patients'symptomsmaybedirectlyassociatedwiththelocationofthecerebralAVMwithcertainsitescausinghydrocephalus.HydrocephalusiscausedbyacerebralAVMpreventingthecirculationofcerebrospinalfluidtherebycausingfluidbuild-upintheskull.HowisanAVMofthebraindiagnosed?BrainAVMscanbediagnosedusingafewmethods,withthemostnon-invasivetechniquesbeingCTandMRIscans.BothscansreveallesionswhileCTscansareparticularlyhelpfulinshowinghemorrhaging.ThreedimensionalrepresentationsofcerebralAVMscanbedetectedbyCTandMRIimaging.AmoreintricateprocessinidentifyinganAVMofthebraininvolvesangiography.Acontrastagent,orwater-solubledye,isinjectedintothebrainallowinganx-raytodelivermorepreciseimagesthathighlightbloodvesselstructure.HowcanbrainAVMsbetreated?BrainAVMscanbedifficulttotreatandoftenrequireamultidisciplinaryapproachtotherapy.Themethodoftreatmentperformedshouldbethoroughlyevaluatedwiththesurgeonidentifyingthebestoptiononacase-by-casebasis.Endovascularembolizationisaminimally-invasivetreatmentoptionforcerebralAVMthatinvolvestheintentionalclosingofbloodvessels.Itmaybedoneasthesoleformoftreatmentorinpreparationformicrosurgicalresectionorradiationtherapy.ForpatientswithcerebralAVMsthatcannotbecuredduetothesizeorlocationoftheirlesion,embolizationcanbepalliative.Thismeansthattheprocedureisnotacure,butratheroffersanimprovementtothepatient'squalityoflifebydiminishingsymptomssuchasheadaches,seizuresorotherproblems.Ifyou'dliketolearnmoreabouttreatmentoptionsforcerebralAVMandothervasculardisordersofthebrain,pleasevisit:http://www.vascularcarenyc.com/.WrittenBy:R.L.FieldingR.L.Fieldeingisafreelancewriterwhohaswrittenonawidevarietyoftopics,withspecialexpertiseintheeducation,pharmaceuticalandhealthcare,financialserviceandmanufacturingindustries.Disclaimer:Thisarticleisforinformationalpurposesandshouldnotbeconsideredasubstituteforprofessionalmedicaladvice,diagnosis,ortreatment.Alwaysseektheadviceofyourphysicianorotherqualifiedhealthproviderwithanyquestionyoumayhaveregardingamedicalcondition.
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