International Journal of Clinical & Medical Images

Introduction: A brain arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is a tangle of abnormal blood vessels connecting arteries and veins in the brain. An arteriovenous malformation can develop anywhere, but occurs most often in the brain or spine. Even so, brain AVMs are rare and affect less than 1 per cent of the population. The aetiology for AVM is not very clear. The most common presenting complaints of patients with AVM are headache or seizures. AVM are routinely diagnosed when CT scan is done for some other reason, not by suspecting AVM as the diagnosis. But this condition when it is classically diagnosed then can often be treated successfully to prevent complications that arise because of AVM malformations. This is a case report of a patient who presented with AVM malformation. The main presenting complaint of this patient was headache.

Case Blog: 38 years old male patient attended ENT OP with complaints of severe headache. No aggravating or relieving factors. The headache was insidious in onset. The patient had consulted some local doctor and he was not relieved by taking medications. A thorough ENT examination was done. ENT causes of headache and migraine were ruled out. Also patient was not having any sinus tenderness. The patient was advised to do an emergency CT scan of brain. CT brain showed some abnormal finding. As it was plain CT scan of brain without contrast, the lesion could not be well delineated (Figure 1). The patient was immediately referred to neuromedicine department for further evaluation and opinion. In neuromedicine department patient was advised for MR angiogram. MRA study confirmed the presence of arterio venous malformation. Now the patient is followed up regularly in the neuromedicine department.

Discussion: Arterio venous malformation can occur anywhere in the body. One among the most common sites of AVM is the Brain. The aetiology for AVM is not very clear. The most common presenting complaints of patients with AVM are headache or seizures.