Which lesion is a very common vascular tumor characterized by an increased number of small vessels filled with blood?

Which lesion is a very common vascular tumor characterized by an increased number of small vessels filled with blood?

• A. Nevus flammeus
• B. Hemangiomas
• C. Spider telangiectasia
• D. Port-wine stain

Answer: (B)

Vascular tumors are defined by proliferation of blood vessels, not just dilation of existing ones. Hemangiomas are the classic example and are described as a very common benign vascular tumor in which there is an increased number of small capillaries filled with blood due to endothelial proliferation. Histologically, you see numerous tiny, closely packed capillaries with endothelial lining, often organized in lobules, which reflects true growth of the vascular bed. Clinically, infantile hemangiomas appear early in life, grow rapidly during infancy, and often involute over time. In contrast, nevus flammeus and port-wine stain are capillary malformations — flat, purplish patches present at birth that represent structural vascular anomalies without proliferative growth of new vessels. Spider telangiectasia is a dilation of preexisting vessels, not a proliferation of new ones, and typically resembles a small, star-shaped vascular dilation rather than a true tumor.

Vascular tumors are defined by proliferation of blood vessels, not just dilation of existing ones. Hemangiomas are the classic example and are described as a very common benign vascular tumor in which there is an increased number of small capillaries filled with blood due to endothelial proliferation. Histologically, you see numerous tiny, closely packed capillaries with endothelial lining, often organized in lobules, which reflects true growth of the vascular bed. Clinically, infantile hemangiomas appear early in life, grow rapidly during infancy, and often involute over time.

In contrast, nevus flammeus and port-wine stain are capillary malformations — flat, purplish patches present at birth that represent structural vascular anomalies without proliferative growth of new vessels. Spider telangiectasia is a dilation of preexisting vessels, not a proliferation of new ones, and typically resembles a small, star-shaped vascular dilation rather than a true tumor.