Imaging Characteristics of Venous Parenchymal Abnormalities

• Published in: Stroke (1970) 2017-12, Vol.48 (12), p.3258-3265
• Main Authors: Arnoux, Audrey, Triquenot-Bagan, Aude, Andriuta, Daniela, Wallon, David, Guegan-Massardier, Evelyne, Leclercq, Claire, Martinaud, Olivier, Castier-Amouyel, Mélody, Godefroy, Olivier, Bugnicourt, Jean-Marc
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Central Nervous System Vascular Malformations - diagnostic imaging; Cerebellum - diagnostic imaging; Cerebral Veins - diagnostic imaging; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Female; Humans; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Life Sciences; Magnetic Resonance Angiography; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Middle Aged; Parietal Lobe - diagnostic imaging; Retrospective Studies; Risk; Stroke - diagnostic imaging; Stroke - epidemiology; Temporal Lobe - diagnostic imaging
• ISSN: 0039-2499; 1524-4628
• DOI: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.117.017937

There are few published data on the patterns of parenchymal imaging abnormalities in a context of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT). The objectives of the present study were to describe the patterns of parenchymal lesions associated with CVT and to determine the lesion sites. We included 44 consecutively hospitalized patients with CVT and parenchymal lesions on magnetic resonance imaging. The diagnosis of CVT had been confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging/magnetic resonance venography. Magnetic resonance imaging patterns for CVT were retrospectively analyzed with regard to the lesion's type, shape, and site. The most frequent stroke subtype was hemorrhagic ischemia (in 56.8% of cases), followed by intracerebral hematoma (in 22.72% of cases) and nonhemorrhagic ischemia (in 20.45% of cases). Although there were no significant differences between these 3 groups with regard to the clinical and radiological characteristics, we observed a nonsignificant trend ( =0.08) toward a shorter time interval between hospital admission and magnetic resonance imaging for nonhemorrhagic stroke. The CVT parenchymal abnormalities were centered on 6 main foci and were related to the site of venous occlusion: (1) the inferior parietal lobule (n=20; 44.5%), associated mainly with occlusion of the transverse sinus (n=10) or pure cortical veins (n=10); (2) the inferior and posterior temporal regions (n=10; 22.75%), associated mainly with occlusion of the transverse sinus (n=9); (3) the parasagittal frontal region (n=6; 13.6%), associated mainly with occlusion of the superior sagittal sinus (n=4) or the transverse sinus (n=4); (4) the thalamus (n=5; 11.3%) associated with occlusion of the straight sinus (n=5); (5) the cerebellar hemisphere (n=2; 4.5%), associated in both cases with occlusion of the transverse sinus; and (6) the deep hemispheric regions (n=3; 6.8%), associated with occlusion of the superior sagittal sinus in all cases. Parenchymal lesions caused by CVT display specific anatomic patterns, which is mainly determined by the site of venous occlusion.