CEREBRAL CT VENOGRAPHY

PURPOSE: To produce cerebral venograms with thin-section helical compu ted tomography (CT) and to assess their diagnostic utility. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-six CT venograms were obtained in 33 patients afte r intravenous administration of iodinated contrast material. Eighteen patients had suspected dural sinus thrombosis. Twelve patients had tum or adjacent to a major venous structure. Three patients underwent CT v enography during CT angiography. RESULTS: Superior sagittal, transvers e, and straight sinuses were identified on every CT venogram. Other ve ins were seen with high frequency. Dural sinus thrombosis was diagnose d in seven patients, with magnetic resonance (MR) venographic correlat ion in five patients. CT venograms were easier to interpret and had fe wer artifacts than MR venograms. Relationships of tumor to adjacent ce rebral venous structures were well shown on CT venograms. CONCLUSION: CT venography yields detailed images of the intracranial venous circul ation with consistently high quality. It is a rapid, useful method for diagnosis of dural sinus thrombosis and for preoperative mapping of v enous structures in patients with neoplasm.