CT and MRI characteristics of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis

Objective:To discuss the imaging feature of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis(CVST).Methods:The finding of CT,MRI and magnetic resonance venography(MRV)in 35 patients with CVST were retrospectively analysed.Results:The thrombosis of superior sagittal sinus,inferior sagittal sinus and straight sinus,transverse-sigmoid sinus was seen in 15 cases,8 cases and 7 cases respectively.Some cortical drainage and large internal cerebral veins were also involved in 7 cases.In the acute phase,10 cases showed the direct and indirect CVST signs by CT scanning,but subacute and chronic patients had no abnormality.MRI showed the disappearance normal flow void in the dural sinus,the abnormal high signal intensities were showed in 32 cases instead.MRV demonstrated that there was no blood flow in these involved dural sinuses or veins.Conclusion:CT is a simple and effective method to diagnose acute CVST.Conventional MRI combined with MRV are effective and noninvasive methods in the diagnosis of subacute and chronic CVST.