CEREBRAL VENOUS THROMBOSIS IN PAROXYSMAL-NOCTURNAL HEMOGLOBINURIA - REPORT OF 2 CASES

We report the clinical, radiologic, and postmortem findings in two pat ients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) who developed cer ebral venous thromboses (CVTs). In contrast with those in most publish ed cases, our patients did not have focal neurologic signs. Antemortem diagnosis of CVT had been made by MR cerebral venograms. We conclude that (1) PNH should be considered in any patient with stroke associate d with iron deficiency anemia, hemolysis, hemoglobinuria, or hemosider inuria; (2) PNH should be in the differential diagnosis of CVT; (3) th e latter could present without focal neurologic signs; and (4) MR cere bral venography may be a reliable diagnostic alternative to cerebral a ngiography when CVT is suspected.