AbstractBackground: Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is a common medical problem in India which has serious clinical consequences. MR venographic technique is one of the modalities of choice for diagnosis and evaluation of dural sinus and cerebral venous thrombosis wherever MRI facility is available. The present study was conducted to evaluate the spectrum of magnetic resonance venography in the diagnosis of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis.
Material and Methods: It was a record-based study, in which case records of CVST patients who attended the department of radiodiagnosis was reviewed. Total cases included were 30 over the period of 2 years. A complete clinical history of patients followed by general physical examination and detailed central nervous system with examination of other significant system was done. Non contrast MR imaging including T1 sagittal, T2 axial, Fluid Attenuated Inversion Recovery (FLAIR) coronal, axial diffusion weighted images(DWI), Susceptibility weighted images (SWI), 3D T1 Fast field echo (FFE), 2D Time of Flight (TOF) Source images and 3D maximum intensity projection(MIP) images were acquired and evaluated for presence of venous thrombosis as indicated. Data analysis was done.
Results: The results of the study showed that the incidence of CVST was more in female population. The peak incidence of CVST was found in the age group of 21 to 40 years. Headache was the commonest clinical feature seen in 09 patients (30%). The superior sagittal sinus is commonly involved in CVST, which is seen in 19 patients (63.33%), the next commonest sinus involved is right transverse sinus in 10 patients (33.3%) followed by right sigmoid sinus in 09 patients (30.0%).
Conclusion: This study concluded that MRI and MRV are valuable imaging modalities for the diagnosis of CVST. MRI and non contrast MRV should be recommended as they are safer, non-invasive, non-ionizing and highly accurate modalities.
