CRANIAL NERVE SYNDROME IN THROMBOSIS OF THE TRANSVERSE SIGMOID SINUSES/

Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) is a cerebrovascular disease associat ed with a wide variety of clinical signs and symptoms, which may often delay appropriate diagnosis. Single or multiple cranial nerve palsies (III-VIII) without evidence of other signs and symptoms have not, so far; been considered a relevant syndrome of CVT This event turned out to be a characteristic finding in Jive patients with thrombosis of the ipsilateral transverse/sigmoid sinus, who were recruited prospectivel y over a 14-month period The diagnosis was supported by non-invasive M RI with the application of a newly developed subtraction technique. In view of the considerable mimics of this syndrome, and the long-standi ng need for conventional angiography to confirm the disease, it is lik ely to have been underestimated in the past; since appropriate treatme nt seems possible the diagnosis and utility of early MR venography sho uld be considered in patients with single or multiple cranial nerve le sions of uncertain aetiology.