Hemangioma of Tongue With Multiple Phleboliths Involving Multiple Spaces of the Right Side of the Head and Neck Region: A Case Report Along With the Importance of Specialized Imaging

Hemangioma is one of the most common tumors of dilated blood vessels, which is usually present at birth and involutes over time. Although considered the most common tumor in the head and neck region, the oral cavity is less commonly affected. The occurrence of hemangioma in the tongue is very rare (14%). Changes in blood flow are dynamic within the hemangioma resulting in thrombus and phleboliths. Phleboliths are small blood clots that occur in a vein, which usually hardens over time due to calcifications. The phleboliths are also called vein stones, which tend to be oval-shaped and are generally less than 5 millimeters in diameter. This paper reports a case of hemangioma of the tongue. On routine radiographic investigation (orthopantomogram), multiple phleboliths were found extending over the right side of the jaw involving the ramus and body of the mandible, which was an incidental finding. On specialized imaging, the extent of the phleboliths turned out to involve multiple spaces, which was unexpected.