The Importance of Early Recognition of Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis: A Case Report

A 33-year-old lady presented to the emergency department (ED) of Kuala Lumpur Hospital with subacute onset of headaches, irritability, and vomiting. Neurological examination revealed a restless agitated patient, poor responses to verbal commands with a Glasgow Coma Scale of 14/15, photophobia, blurred nasal margins with generalised weakness, hyperreflexia, and downgoing plantars. Computed tomography (CT) of the brain showed evidence of biparietal infarction with an empty delta sign. Urgent magnetic resonance imaging and venography (MRI/MRV) of the brain in the ED showed evidence of thrombosis of the superior sagittal sinus extending to the torcular herophili, straight sinus, transverse sinuses, sigmoid sinuses, and proximal internal jugular veins. The precipitating factor for the thrombosis was possibly oral contraceptive pill usage, which she had been taking for a month. She was treated aggressively with anticoagulation. The patient subsequently improved symptomatically and achieved full neurological recovery. In this patient, early recognition of the clinical symptoms and a CT scan with confirmation by MRI/MRV of the brain enabled the prompt diagnosis and treatment of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis with a good clinical outcome.

Keywords
cerebral venous thrombosis; computed tomography; magnetic resonance imaging; oral contraceptive; anticoagulation