Abstract：Objective: To investigate value of conventional MRI, diffusion-weighted imaging(DWI) in diagnosing cerebral venous sinus thrombosis(CVST), to evaluate diffusion signal intensity in occluded venous sinuses and predict the chances of vessel recanalization at the corresponding site. Methods: The conventional MRI, MR venography and DWI findings were analyzed retrospectively in 32 patients with CVST. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to the signal of the thrombosed sinus on the first DWI, that is a group with hyperintense signal and isointense/hypointense signal. Complete recanalization between groups were compared by χ2 test. Results: Thirty-two patients with CVST were observed on MRI combined with MR venography. One venous sinus was involved in 5 patients, 2 in 8 patients, 3 in 13 patients, 4 in 4 patients, and 5 in 2 patients. Among the 86 sites of CVST, thrombosis demonstrated hyperintense signal on T1WI in 61.6% of sites, on T2WI in 47.7%, on T2 FLAIR in 46.5%, on DWI in 32.6%. Twenty-five thrombosed sinuses demonstrated hyperintense signal on the first DWI, complete recanalization was found in 7 sinuses, partial in 10, and occluded in 8 at follow-up examinations. Fifty-one thrombosed sinuses demonstrated isointense or hypointense signal on the first DWI, complete recanalization was found in 36 sinuses, partial in 9, and occluded in 6 by follow-up examinations. Chances of complete recanalization was lower in the presence than in the absence of hyperintense signal in thrombosed sinuses on the first DWI, there was statistically significant difference(χ2=12.46, P<0.05). Conclusion: DWI examination is of no additional diagnostic value when conventional MRI are already obtained for patients with CVST, The hyperintense signal in thrombosed sinus on DWI suggests low rate of vessel recanalization at follow-up examination.
2014, Vol. 25 
