Magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of vertebral haemangiomas

A retrospective analysis of 600 [238 females, 362 males] spine examinations was carried out. Vertebral haemangioma was observed in 160 patients [27%], 74 females [31%] and 86 males [24%]. The majority were over 35 years. The most frequent site was the lumbar region, 64 patients [40%], then the thoracic region, 32 patients [20%], cervical region, 26 patients [16%], predominantly in the dense complex of the axis, and 38 patients [24%] were found to have multiple haemangiomas. Characteristically all vertebral haemangiomas abutted or included the basivertebral veins in the vertebral body