Cerebral Venous Thrombosis: Relations between the Extension of the Thrombosis and Parenchymal Damage

Abstract

Prognosis of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) changed in recent years from a life-threatening to a more benign condition. Anticoagulation therapy “freezes” the evolution of the disease, preventing progression to extensive brain lesions.

Good outcomes reveal a wide range of lesions; moreover, neuroradiological investigations allow a precise evaluation of dural sinuses and deep venous system. With this background we tried to correlate the extension of the thrombosis in dural sinuses and deep venous system with the brain lesions in 24 patients with CVT and found no clear correlation.

On the other hand, in particular cases a relation between thrombosis of cortical veins or deep medullary veins and brain lesions was found. The availability of alternative venous drainage probably explains the different extension of brain lesions in our patients. According to data from the literature cortical and deep medullary veins may represent “critical” locations for collateral venous circulation in CVT.

Keywords

cerebral venous thrombosis extension brain lesions angiography MR angiography MR CT

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