The Diagnosis and Treatment of Cerebral Venous Thrombosis

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis involves thrombosis of the dural sinuses and/or cerebral veins. It constitutes 0.5-1% of all strokes and usually affects young individuals. It is slightly more common in young women due to pregnancy, puerperium, and oral contraceptive use. Patients usually present with headache or focal neurologic deficits. The superior sagittal sinus is most frequently affected sinus. Variations in venous anatomy, such as atresia/hypoplasia of the sinuses or asymmetric drainage of the sinus, may mimic sinus thrombosis. In general, magnetic resonance imaging is more sensitive than computed tomography in the detection of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis at each stage. Anticoagulants are the first preferred group of drugs in the treatment.