The lesions represent a stellate venous complex that drains to ventricular or cortical surface. Since these lesions drain and course through normal brain, anything that interferes with this drainage can cause infarction of that territory. Venous angiomas are also associated with cavernomas, and the hemorrhage uncommonly seen with these lesions may be related to the cavernoma rather than the venous angioma itself. Alternatively, thrombosis of the venous angioma can cause hemorrhagic venous infarction. Other associations include Gorlin's syndrome, heterotopias, schizencephaly, and sinus pericranii.
Venous angiomas are usually an incidental finding.