MRI diagnosis of cerebral infarction secondary to venous embolism
BING Jing1, WANG Yong1, WANG Xue-mei1, SUI Ru-xin2, TAN Xiao-tian1
1. Department of Radiology, Dalian Central Hospital, Dalian Liaoning 116033, China;2. Department of Radiology, the Third People’s Hospital, Dalian Liaoning 116033, China
Abstract:Objective: To evaluate MRI features of venous embolism and cerebral infarction and its clinical value. Methods: MRI features of venous embolism and cerebral infarction in 14 cases(male 6 cases, female 8 cases) were reviewed retrospectively, age ranged from 21 to 65 years old, the average age was 43 years old, all have been proved by cerebral angiography and effective clinical therapy were given. All cases underwent MRI cerebral conventional examination, 10 of them had MR venous angiography(MRV), 5 cases underwent enhanced MRI scan. Result: In 14 cases, venous cerebral embolism and infarction located in lobus frontalis in 6 cases, lobus parietalis in 4, lobus temporalis in 3, insula in 1 and cerebella in 1. In another case, the position is in basal ganglion, thalamus and thalamencephal(with diencephalon and corpus callosum involved). Bilateral cerebrum involved were found in 8 cases and unilateral in 6 cases. Venous infarction was found in 14 cases, in 10 cases infarction was located in superior sagittal sinus(with transverse sinus, sigmoid sinus or straight sinus thrombosis), 1 case in straight sinus and left transverse sinus, 1 case in left transverse sinus and sigmoid sinus, 2 cases in cortical superficial vein. In these cases, there were 10 cases of hemorrhagic infarction. In 5 cases which underwent enhanced scan by Gd-DTPA, the lesions were nonenhanced in 3 cases and the lesion appeared irregular annular enhancement in 2 cases. There were 2 cases which appeared enhancement of falx cerebri and tentorium cerebelli. MRV images showed lack of flow void from the blocked venous channels and formation of collaterials or presence of emissary veins. Conclusion: Venous embolism and cerebral infarction have characteristic MRI image, it is important for diagnosis and therapy of venous embolism. Cerebral infarction is also an important index for evaluating the severity of lesion and the effect of clinical therapy.