What is Haemangioma?

Q: I have a 12 years old son. He has been diagnosed as having Haemangioma or AV Malformation in the left foot. Can you please tell me, what is haemangioma or AV malformation? Can this be treated completely? We have been asked to get an angiogram. What exactly does this mean? Will there be any abnormalities after such a treatment? What are the other possible treatments? Please tell me the best one.

A:Haemangiomas are an abnormal bunch of blood vessels in and below the skin present since birth. AV malformation is a special variant of haemangioma where the bunch of vessels is of a larger size and there is a major communication between two groups of blood vessels. The treatment for haemangiomas is by either removing it surgically or by injecting it with medicines that can make it shrink. Much depends of the location, size and depth of the haemangioma and the area affected by it. Angiograms are specialized x-rays where a dye is injected into the major blood vessel to highlight the blood vessels in the area.