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Hemangiomas are benign (noncancerous) tumors. They are a type of vascular anomaly. There are two types of hemangiomas: infantile and congenital. Infantile hemangiomas grow after a child is born. Congenital hemangiomas are fully formed at birth and are rare.
Congenital hemangiomas may go away or may persist. Some hemangiomas may disappear without treatment. Fifty percent of infantile hemangiomas shrink by the time a child is 5 years old, 70 percent shrink by age 7 and 90 percent by age 10.
Hemangiomas can be found on any part of the body, but they most often appear on the neck and face. The location of a hemangioma can determine if your child is at risk for other conditions. Children with hemangiomas on the lower half of the face can be at risk for hemangiomas in the airway.
Although hemangiomas usually form on the skin, they can form on organs such as the liver, though this typically occurs when patients have a large number of hemangiomas on the skin. Externally, they appear as red marks that may be raised above the skin. In some cases, they can cause problems with excessive growth or interference with important functions.
Hemangiomas on the liver rarely cause symptoms. They may not be noticed until they grow large enough to be felt as a mass in the abdomen, result in cardiac (heart) problems or cause difficulty with feeding and gaining weight.
Syndromes Related to Hemangiomas
There are a number of syndromes related to hemangiomas, including:
Unrelated to infantile hemangiomas, kaposiform hemangioendothelioma (KHE) is a rare, noncancerous vascular tumor that can appear early in infancy. Complications include rapid growth of the tumor and blood clotting problems. KHE tumors may require aggressive therapy with medications such as sirolimus or steroids.
Doctors at Riley at IU Health use the following exams and tests to diagnose hemangiomas:
The main treatment options for hemangiomas are:
Visit the trusted websites below to learn more about hemangiomas.
Riley at IU Health offers a broad range of supportive services to make life better for families who choose us for their children's care.
The Hemangioma Investigator Group provides this educational website for parents of children with infantile hemangiomas.
This is a parent organization for patients with a complicated infantile hemangioma associated with PHACE syndrome.
Doctors in the Department of Dermatology at the Indiana University School of Medicine are active members of the Hemangioma Investigator Group. These doctors participate in several clinical studies for patients with infantile hemangiomas and PHACE syndrome.