Acquired Tufted Angioma
David S. Cassarino, MD, PhD
Key Facts
Terminology
Acquired tufted angioma (ATA)
Angioblastoma (of Nakagawa)
Multiple cannonball-like cellular collections of small vessels in dermis
Clinical Issues
Children and young adults
Rare tumors
Slowly growing erythematous macules and plaques
Microscopic Pathology
Scattered lobular collections of small capillary-type vessels throughout dermis, may involve subcutis
Cleft-like lumina often present around capillary tufts, may impart glomerular-like appearance
Cells are oval to spindled-shaped
Mitoses may be present, but cells lack significant cytologic atypia
 Scanning magnification of a tufted angioma shows scattered dermal lobular collections of vessels. The lobules bulge into dilated vessels, with a few peripheral semilunar spaces identified  . |
 Higher magnification of 1 lobule shows a proliferation of small, slit-like vascular spaces  lined by bland oval to spindle-shaped endothelial cells. |
TERMINOLOGY
Abbreviations
Acquired tufted angioma (ATA)
Synonyms
Tufted angioma
Angioblastoma (of Nakagawa)
Progressive capillary hemangioma
Definitions
Multiple scattered cannonball-like cellular collections of small vessels in dermis
ETIOLOGY/PATHOGENESIS
Unknown
Most cases sporadic, rare familial case described
Some cases associated with pregnancy or liver transplantation
