Background: Thrombosis of the intracranial sinuses and veins may be septic or aseptic, and in the latter case are often due to alteration in hemodynamics. It may also be seen in young babies without known predisposing factors.
Patients: From 1988 to 1994, 11 children had cerebral venous thrombosis (longitudinal sinus) in the first year of their life. Their ages ranged from two days to 11 months. Transient seizures, lethargy, pseudo tumor cerebri were the first clinical symptoms. The presence of longitudinal sinus thrombosis was suggested by unenhanced CT scan, confirmed by colour doppler flow imaging and magnetic resonance angiography, with absence of blood flow in the longitudinal sinus. Repeated doppler flow imaging showed thrombus resolution within 3 weeks. Thrombosis was associated with predisposing factors in seven cases and appeared idiopathic in the four others.
Conclusion: Diagnosis of longitudinal sinus thrombosis can be made more accurately and noninvasively by colour doppler flow and angio-MRI. Treatment with anticoagulants appears unnecessary and dangerous in idiopathic forms.