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Rigamonti et al. Vessel Plus 2021;5:47 Vessel Plus
DOI: 10.20517/2574-1209.2021.65

Perspective Open Access

A brief history of cerebral cavernous malformations:

a personal perspective

1
Daniele Rigamonti , Tito Vivas-Buitrago 2,3
1
Johns Hopkins Medicine International, Johns Hopkins Hospital University, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
2
Mayo Clinic, Department of Neurosurgery, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA.
3
Universidad de Santander UDES, School of Medicine, Bucaramanga 680003, Colombia.
Correspondence to: Dr. Daniele Rigamonti, Johns Hopkins Medicine International, Johns Hopkins Hospital University, 1800
Orleans St., Baltimore, MD 21287, USA. E-mail: danrigamonti@comcast.net
How to cite this article: Rigamonti D, Vivas-Buitrago T. A brief history of cerebral cavernous malformations: a personal
perspective. Vessel Plus 2021;5:47. https://dx.doi.org/10.20517/2574-1209.2021.65
Received: 16 Apr 2021 First Decision: 12 May 2021 Revised: 4 Jun 2021 Accepted: 11 Jun 2021 First online: 2 Jul 2021

Academic Editor: Jun Zhang Copy Editor: Yue-Yue Zhang Production Editor: Yue-Yue Zhang

Abstract
As is the case in many areas of medicine and science in general, there has been a dramatic acceleration in the
acquisition of understanding during the last few decades. This is also the case for cerebral cavernous
malformations (CCMs). We like to artificially divide the progress that we have personally witnessed into three
phases: pre-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), post-MRI, and molecular. We highlight the major leaps forward
linked to the specific discovery.

Keywords: Cerebral cavernous malformations, history, developments

PRE-MRI PHASE
The histology of cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) had been known and described in the classic
texts of pathology for many decades. CCM was then called “cavernous hemangioma”, “cavernous angioma”,
or “cavernoma”. The description of the CCM stressed the presence of a mass of abnormally dilated vascular
channels, with walls made of collagen and lined by endothelium, without evidence of arterial structures, and
containing in decreasing order of frequency hemosiderin-laden macrophages, thrombosis, hemorrhage,
calcification, and ossification. Because of the contiguity of the dilated vascular channels, the center of the
lesion is void of brain parenchyma .
[1-3]

© The Author(s) 2021. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
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