Purpose or Case Report: Vascular anomalies are commonly encountered in paediatrics, often presenting as clinically palpable superficial lesions, and may be associated with an underlying syndrome or congenital disease. According to the ISSVA classification, vascular anomalies are broadly categorized into proliferating vascular tumours and vascular malformations. Vascular tumours may be benign (infantile and congenital haemangiomas), locally aggressive (kaposiform hemangioendothelioma) and malignant (angiosarcoma). Vascular malformations are further subdivided into high-flow (e.g. arterio-venous malformations or fistulas), low-flow (capillary, venous and lymphatic malformations) and complex combined malformations.

Ultrasound is usually the first-line imaging modality of choice to evaluate these lesions, particularly in children, due to its advantages such as excellent superficial spatial resolution, lack of ionizing radiation, negating any need for sedation, wide availability, low-cost and ability to assess vascularity and flow dynamics. Moreover, ultrasound is also useful in detecting complications, guiding further work-up and can be used for routine follow-up after treatment. Transducer selection is typically determined by lesion size and depth. However, mixed complex vascular malformations and deep extensive lesions, particularly those located in poorly accessible regions (e.g. near bony or air-filled structures) may not be well delineated on ultrasound and further evaluation with cross-sectional imaging, usually magnetic resonance imaging/angiography, would be warranted.

The goals of this educational exhibit are to review and familiarize radiologists with the ISSVA classification as well as clinical and imaging features of commonly encountered soft tissue vascular anomalies occurring in children, with emphasis on the utility of ultrasound as a useful diagnostic tool. Sonographic and clinical features of the above mentioned conditions will be illustrated and reviewed.
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