Methods to Determine if It Is a Hemangioma
After my child was born, I always noticed white, raised areas appearing on his blood vessels when pressed. I'm very worried that it might be a hemangioma. Could you please tell me what are the methods to determine whether it is a hemangioma or not?
Doctor's answer (1)
Determining whether a lesion is a hemangioma typically involves a series of steps and examinations.
1. Clinical presentation: Hemangiomas are benign vascular tumors, usually presenting as congestive patch-like, strawberry-like or plaque-like masses on or beneath the skin. Some patients may exhibit slight elevation of the skin surface, with relatively clear boundaries. If the tumor is compressed during the disease course, capillary dilation may occur on the surface, and the tumor color may appear dark red or bright red, often accompanied by pain.
2. Laboratory tests: Patients can go to the hospital for laboratory examinations to test for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). If the results show elevated VEGF levels, it may indicate a hemangioma.
3. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): If the hemangioma is located on the scalp, within muscles, or in internal organs, MRI can determine whether the tumor has invaded other tissues and assess the extent of invasion.
4. Color ultrasound examination: Patients can undergo color Doppler ultrasound at the hospital to check for the presence of hemangiomas in the body. This examination can also detect other lesions, such as hemangiomas in organs like the liver or kidneys.
5. Digital subtraction angiography (DSA): If vascular variations are detected during patient examination, DSA can confirm the diagnosis of a hemangioma.
