SM12: Hemangiomas in Infants Require Careful Diagnosis

A bright red patch on the face of an infant might be a hemangioma, but what kind? A panel tackled the topic here on Jan. 26 at the Triological Society Combined Sections Meeting.

Stephen Conley, MD, a pediatric otolaryngologist at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, said hemangiomas in pediatric patients pose a special challenge because the proper way to proceed might not be clear immediately. “Their behavior has made it difficult to predict the need for treatment,” he said.

Carol MacArthur, MD, associate professor of otolaryngology-head and neck Surgery at the Oregon Health & Science University, urged biopsies when doctors aren’t sure about the type of a hemangioma. Congenital hemangiomas and other types may bear similarities to the less serious infantile hemangiomas, but there are key differences.