Intracranial venous sinus thrombosis

radiologic diagnosis

Abstract

Introduction: Thrombosis of the cerebral venous sinus is a rare condition whose diagnosis can be made by computed tomography, magnetic resonance or by angiography by catheterization. Case report: Female pa- tient, 27 years old, with severe holocranial headache, pulsating retroocular and visual turbidity, in addition to a seizure for 2 hours. The patient reports that she started using oral contraceptives a month and 15 days ago, being submitted to a computed tomography scan of the skull, in which no significant changes were found. However, in the cerebral arteriography examination, venous drainage was evidenced, presenting a slow flow with significant congestion of the cortical veins and filling failures in the cerebral venous sinuses compatible with extensive thrombosis of the dural sinuses. Comments: While Magnetic Resonance Imaging is the most sensitive method for visualizing parenchymal and / or hemorrhagic sequelae of cerebral venous sinus throm-bosis, both magnetic resonance venography and contrast venography are almost equivalent methods for detecting intracranial venous structures obstruction. However, catheter angiography should always be con- sidered for patients with CT and MRI inconclusive or for candidates undergoing endovascular procedures.