Clinical picture of patients with cerebral venous thrombosis and patterns of dural sinus involvement.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Cerebral venous thrombosis may cause focal brain lesions or an isolated intracranial hypertension without focal signs. We investigated whether these different clinical pictures correspond to different patterns of dural sinus thrombosis.

METHODS: Forty-eight patients with cerebral venous thrombosis were classified in 2 groups based on the clinical and neuroradiological picture at admission: one group had clinical signs of intracranial hypertension, without focal neurological signs; the other group had focal neurological signs. The extension of thrombosis in dural sinuses was compared between the groups.

RESULTS: The amount of thrombosed sinuses was significantly different in the two groups, the involvement of the dural sinuses being greater in patients with isolated intracranial hypertension.

CONCLUSIONS: The clinical picture of cerebral venous thrombosis is related to the pattern of dural sinus involvement. The presence of isolated intracranial hypertension is more frequent in patients with a more extended thrombosis of the dural sinuses.