Grading
A common method of grading cerebral AVMs is the Spetzler-Martin grade. This system was designed to assess the patient's risk of neurological deficit after open surgical resection, based on characteristics of the AVM itself. Based on this system, AVMs may be classified as grades 1 - 5.
| AVM size | Adjacent eloquent cortex | Draining veins |
|---|---|---|
| Under 3 cm = 1 | Non-eloquent = 0 | Superficial only = 0 |
| 3–6 cm = 2 | Eloquent* = 1 | Deep veins = 1 |
| Over 6 cm = 3 |
- Such as sensory or motor cortex, language or visual areas, brain stem, etc.
The risk of post-surgical neurological deficit (difficulty with language, motor weakness, vision loss) increases with increasing Spetzler-Martin grade.
Read more about this topic: Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation
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