BACKGROUND: Intraosseous cavernous skull hemangiomas are rare benign vascular tumors that are usually found incidentally on imaging, with an asymptomatic and slow-growing course. We present a case in which the patient had a mass on her forehead for many years, which began to grow rapidly after head trauma. Imaging characteristics play a crucial role in the diagnosis and description of this disease, and in differentiating it from other more common calvarial lesions that may present with a similar clinical picture. Here, we report an unusual presentation of a large skull hemangioma and discuss the different radiologic imaging findings and pathologic correlations.

CASE REPORT: A 58-year-old female with history of a lump on her forehead since childhood, which began to grow rapidly after experiencing a closed-head injury. Due to its large size, she went on to seek further management. Radiologic images revealed a frontal skull lesion suggestive of an intraosseous hemangioma. She underwent embolization of the tumor, and 2 days later underwent bilateral frontal craniectomy and cranioplasty. Histopathologic findings confirmed this diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS: Intraosseous skull hemangioma may be confidently diagnosed and differentiated from other skull lesions by its imaging characteristics. An accurate diagnosis is essential to selecting correct management and avoiding complications.

Keywords: Bone Neoplasms, Hemangioma, Cavernous, Skull, Head Injuries, Closed, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Skull Neoplasms, Tomography, X-Ray Computed