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Transverse sinus stenoses in benign intracranial hypertension demonstrated on CT venography

J N P Higgins1, G Tipper, M Varley

  • 1Department of Radiology, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK. nick.higgins@addenbrookes.nhs.uk

British Journal of Neurosurgery
|August 27, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Patients with benign intracranial hypertension (BIH) often have transverse sinus narrowing. CT venography effectively visualizes this narrowing, aiding BIH diagnosis.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Radiology
  • Medical Imaging

Background:

  • Benign intracranial hypertension (BIH) is associated with high intracranial venous sinus pressures.
  • Transverse sinus stenosis is implicated in BIH, previously visualized with MR venography.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the visibility of transverse sinus stenosis on CT venography in patients with BIH.
  • To compare CT venography findings in BIH patients with a control group.

Main Methods:

  • CT venography performed on 10 BIH patients and 10 matched controls.
  • Semi-automated technique used to profile cross-sectional sinus areas and identify narrowing.
  • Comparison of venous outflow tract measurements between groups.

Main Results:

  • Marked bilateral transverse sinus narrowing observed in all BIH patients, typically near the sigmoid sinus junction.
  • Narrowing was rarely seen in the control group.
  • Significantly different cross-sectional areas in venous outflow tracts between BIH patients and controls (p<0.001).

Conclusions:

  • CT venography is a frequent and effective method for demonstrating transverse sinus narrowing in BIH.
  • CT venography can identify a key anatomical abnormality associated with benign intracranial hypertension.

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