What is a cavernoma?

A Cavernoma (also called a cavernous malformation) is malformation consisting of irregular thick and thin-walled leaky blood vessels located within the brain, lacking intervening brain tissue, large feeding arteries, or large draining veins. 

Cavernomas can occur in the brain, spinal cord and rarely, the dura. On a scan, they often look like raspberries, blackberries, or popcorn, hence why our logo is the raspberry. 

Cavernomas can vary in size, from millimeters to centimeters. The bigger the cavernoma, the more disruption it can cause. This is because the blood vessels can leak small amounts of blood into the surrounding brain and spinal tissue, therefore, the larger your cavernoma, the bigger the potential bleed. When a bleed occurs it may cause symptoms such as seizures, headaches, or changes in movement, vision, or speech.

How common are they?

Its prevalence varies between countries, but it’s estimated that around 1 in 600 have a Cavernoma in the UK. Many people may have one but never experience symptoms. It’s estimated that just 1 in 400,000 people experience symptoms. They are most often discovered in people aged 30–50, but can occur at any age.