Cerebral Venous Thrombosis

Excerpt

Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT), which includes thrombosis of the cerebral veins and the dural sinuses, is a rare disorder that can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Cerebral venous thrombosis can present with variable signs and symptoms that include a headache, benign intracranial hypertension, subarachnoid hemorrhage, focal neurological deficit, seizures, unexplained altered sensorium, and meningoencephalitis.

The diversity of risk factors and variable presentation present challenges in diagnosing cerebral vein thrombosis. Delay in diagnosis is common, as the median delay from symptom onset to hospital admission is four days and from symptom onset to diagnosis is seven days. Thus, having a high index of suspicion for this disorder is crucial to ensure timely diagnosis and treatment.