ABSTRACT
context: Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) previously believed to be an uncommon cerebrovascular event, accounting for0.5–1% of cases of stroke, affecting 1.32/100,000 person/year. CVST is a disease of young adults (<50 years old) predominantlyand is diagnosed based on clinical suspicion with confirmatory neuroimaging.Aims: This study aims to prospectively evaluate the Hounsfield unit (H.U) value of cerebral venous sinus on non-contrastcomputerized tomography (NCCT) scan and to assess its predictive value in diagnosing cerebral venous thrombosis and toevaluate whether standardizing venous sinus H.U value measurements to those of the corresponding internal cerebral arterywould improve diagnostic accuracy.Materials and Methods: In our study, a total of 80 clinically suspected case of CVST were included and NCCT head scan was donethen confirmed by M.R. venography (gold standard). Of 80 cases, a total of 38 cases were diagnosed as CVST on M.R. venographywhich was considered as Group B and rest 42 cases were normal on M.R. venography which was considered as Group A.Statistical Analysis: Average HU and H:H ratio were compared using two-tailed t-test, and linear regression analysis wasused to assess correlation between hematocrit (HCT) and HU.Results: Linear regression analysis showed positive correlation between HCT with computed tomography attenuation (HU)among both the groups (P < 0.005). H:H ratio (HU/HCT) for cutoff point of 1.645 had sensitivity of 71.1%, 97.6% specificity,and 96.4% PPV. A cutoff value of 1.335 for standardized measurement with internal carotid arteries (ICA) had 71.1% sensitivity,81% specificity, and 77.1% PPV.Conclusion: We conclude that average HU, H:H ratio, and standardized with ICA were the best predictor for sinus thrombosis.
ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the characteristics of diagnosis and treatment of Behset's disease (BD) with meningeal thickening and to improve doctors" awareness of such diseases.Methods We reported a missed diagnosis of a patient with BD complicated with diffuse meningeal thickening,and reviewed the related literature.Results A 25-year-old young man,manifested mainly as recurrent headache,fever,recurrent oral ulcer,erythema skin nodules and folliculitis,and his cranial radiology revealed diffuse meningeal thickening and intracranial venous sinus thrombosis.We diagnosed him as neuropathy associated with BD.After the treatment with steroids,cyclophosphamide,infliximab and anti-coagulants,his symptoms improved rapidly.Conclusion In clinical,BD complicated with meningeal thickening is rare,which is easily misdiagnosed or miss-diagnosed.For the patients with unexplained meningeal thickening,the symptoms of BD,such as recurrent oral or genital ulcers,ophthalmitis and skin lesions,should be acquired in detail.In addition to steroids and immunosuppressive agents,anti tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha can also be used in the treatment of BD with meningeal thickening.
ABSTRACT
Intracranial venous sinus thrombosis is a special type of cerebral vascular disease. It usually originates from the later period of wasting disease, brain trauma, puerperium, blood disease, heart disease, eye/nasal/facial infection, meningitis and septicemia. It occurs in different age and sex. Infants, young children, frail elderly people, postpartum women, chronic disease patients are prone to be affected.Because of lacking of typical clinical manifestations, the clinical diagnosis and treatment of this disease is difficult and easily leading to misdiagnosis and mistreatment, which affects the prognosis of the patients.Because of lacking of standardized diagnosis and treatment strategy, different methods are needed. According to the proceeding reports, we reviewed the current progress of the diagnosis and treatment of intracranial venous sinus thrombosis.