MRI and MR venography in diagnosis of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis

Objective To observe the value of MRI and magnetic resonance venography(MRV) in diagnosis of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis(CVST).Methods MRI findings of 11 patients with clinically diagnosed CVST were analyzed retrospectively.All 11 patients underwent MR plain scan.Dynamic contrast enhanced scan was performed in 5 patients,while MRV was performed in 6 and digital subtraction angiography(DSA) in 2 patients.Results The thrombosis of superior sagittal sinus and transverse sinus was observed in 4 patients,superior sagittal sinus,transverse sinus and sigmoid sinus involvement in 1,while single sigmoid sinus involvement in 4 and single transverse sinus involvement in 2 patients.CVST manifested as isointense signal on T1WI and low signal on T2WI in 1,high signal on T1WI and T2WI in 8,and inhomogeneous low signal on T1WI and high signal on T2WI in 2 patients.Abnormal venous enhancement was found on contrast enhanced MRI in 5 patients.Contrast enhancement MRI showed ring-like,triangle and parallel enhancement in wall of venous sinus,but venous sinus thrombosis did not enhanced,but showed as irregular filling defect or empty triangle.Conclusion Conventional MRI combined with MRV are effective and noninvasive methods in the diagnosis of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis.