{
  "abstract": "Background and Objectives: A cerebral cavernous malformation (cavernoma) is a lesion composed of clustered abnormal capillary channels lacking normal brain parenchyma between them. Most cerebral cavernomas are sporadic but up to 20% have familial autosomal dominant inheritance pattern. They are extremely rare, with an annual incidence of approximately 0.15-0.56 per 100,000 population. The treatment ranges from observation for asymptomatic patients to surgical resection. Case Description: A 20-year-old patient with type I neurofibromatosis (NF1) and bilateral optic pathway gliomas since infancy underwent radiotherapy at age seven for an enlarging right medullary lesion, radiologically diagnosed as a glioma. In 2025, he developed intermittent headaches, limited cognitive function, and altered speech. MRI in July 2025 showed enlargement, contrast enhancement, and a cystic component of the right medullary lesion with fourth ventricle compression. Suboccipital craniotomy, performed for presumed medullary glioma, revealed a hemorrhagic vascular lesion; histopathology confirmed a cerebral cavernous malformation and excluded glioma. Because the lesion predated radiotherapy and the availability of susceptibility-sensitive imaging in 2012 is uncertain, its relationship to irradiation cannot be established. The case therefore illustrates a pre-existing or occult cavernous malformation with subsequent radiological evolution. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient remains clinically stable. Conclusions: It is possible for cerebral cavernous malformations to mimic gliomas on imaging, particularly in patients with pre-existing CNS lesions such as type I neurofibromatosis. Susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) together with post-contrast T1-weighted imaging may aid in distinguishing vascular malformations from primary brainstem tumors.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Faculty of Medicine, Riga Stradins University, 16 Dzirciema Street, LV-1007 Riga, Latvia.",
    "Department of Neurosurgery, Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital, 13 Psonu Street, LV-1002 Riga, Latvia.",
    "Department of Radiology, Ege University, 35040 Bornova, Turkey.",
    "Institute of Pathology, Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital, 13 Pilsonu Street, LV-1002 Riga, Latvia.",
    "Department of Pathology, Riga Stradins University, 16 Dzirciema Street, LV-1007 Riga, Latvia.",
    "Department of Radiology, Riga Stradins University, 16 Dzirciema Street, LV-1007 Riga, Latvia.",
    "Institute of Diagnostic Radiology, Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital, 13 Pilsonu Street, LV-1002 Riga, Latvia.",
    "Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Latvia, LV-1004 Riga, Latvia."
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 7,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Arturs Laganovskis"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Julija Dolgopolova"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Cenk Eraslan"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3,
        4
      ],
      "name": "Karina Biserova",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-1755-3205"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Ilze Strumfa",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-7393-9524"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5
      ],
      "name": "Marta Pūpola"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5,
        6,
        7
      ],
      "name": "Arturs Balodis",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-7457-1901"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/b7h9y63qpv5gm.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3390/diagnostics16193090",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13663926",
  "id": "b7h9y63qpv5gm",
  "issns": [
    "2075-4418"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42882245",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2728|Vascular Malformations Diagnosis and Treatment"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7214184771",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13663926?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13663926",
  "pmid": "42882245",
  "published": "2026-09-24",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/b7h9y63qpv5gm.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:19:16Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42882245",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42882245"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2728|Vascular Malformations Diagnosis and Treatment",
      "subfield": "neurology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Brainstem Cavernous Malformation Mimicking Glioma in Neurofibromatosis Type 1: A Rare Diagnostic Pitfall.",
  "title_text": "Brainstem Cavernous Malformation Mimicking Glioma in Neurofibromatosis Type 1: A Rare Diagnostic Pitfall.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:19:16Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/b7h9y63qpv5gm",
  "venue": "Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland)",
  "versions": []
}