Diagnostic Considerations

See the list below:

Early infantile hemangiomas: Consider a diagnosis of infantile hemangiomas before the onset of rapid proliferation. Infantile hemangiomas are easily differentiated from capillary malformations by the observation of rapid growth in the hemangiomas.
Abortive (telangiectatic) infantile hemangiomas: These usually are flat, pink patches with obvious telangiectases running throughout the lesion. These involute slowly over time, albeit slower than typical infantile hemangiomas.
Nevus flammeus neonatorum: Synonyms include salmon patch, stork bite, angel kiss, nevus simplex, nevus flammeus nuchae, medial or midline telangiectatic nevus, medial nevus flammeus, and physiologic capillary malformation. They occur on the midline glabella, the nose, the upper lip, the occipital scalp, or the eyelids. They are usually lighter pink than capillary malformations, with rates of 42% in white neonates and 31% in black neonates. In most cases, the anterior facial lesions lighten or resolve by the time the patient is aged 1-2 years; however, the occipital and lumbar lesions may persist throughout life.
Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome
Coats disease: Retinal telangiectasia (usually unilateral) is rarely reported with an ipsilateral facial capillary malformation.
Cobb syndrome: See Physical Examination.
Parkes-Weber syndrome: See Physical Examination.
Phacomatosis pigmentovascularis
Roberts syndrome: This is characterized by facial capillary malformation, hypomelia, hypotrichosis, cleft lip, and growth retardation.
TAR syndrome: This is characterized by congenital thrombocytopenia, bilateral absence or hypoplasia of the radius, and capillary malformations.
Sturge-Weber syndrome: See Physical Examination.
von Hippel-Lindau disease
Wyburn-Mason syndrome: See Physical Examination.

Differential Diagnoses

Workup

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Media Gallery

Histopathologic features of a capillary malformation (nevus flammeus) showing telangiectatic vessels lined by mature-appearing endothelial cells.
Capillary malformation on the left preauricular aspect of the cheek, the ear, and the neck in a neonate (same patient as in Media Files 3-4).
Same patient as in Media Files 2 and 4 immediately after test spots with the pulsed-dye laser at 585 nm. Note the purpuric macules where the laser impacted in a linear distribution on the preauricular aspect of the cheek.
Same patient as in Media Files 2-3 after 4 treatments with the pulsed-dye laser. Treatments were given at 2-month intervals in an outpatient setting using topical anesthetic.

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Capillary Malformation Differential Diagnoses

Diagnostic Considerations

Differential Diagnoses

References

Tables

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