Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol 14, Issue 1 41-46, Copyright © 1995 by American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
Doppler imaging of superior sagittal sinus thrombosis
A. H. Lam
Department of Radiology, Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children, Camperdown, Sydney, Australia.
Three cases of neonatal superior sagittal sinus thrombosis diagnosed by
Doppler imaging and confirmed with either computed tomography, magnetic
resonance imaging, or digital subtraction angiography are described. One
infant died and the others had uneventful recovery. Young infants with
superior sagittal sinus thrombosis rarely are seen for diagnostic imaging;
the nonspecificity of the clinical presentation of this disorder and the
difficulties with its investigation owing to the invasiveness of the
radiologic procedures lead to its underdiagnosis. Magnetic resonance
imaging is a sensitive, noninvasive diagnostic modality, but it is not
always available and practical for the very sick infants in the critical
care unit. In the cases described here, Doppler imaging proved to be
diagnostic and useful in the management of superior sagittal sinus
thrombosis and should be used in the initial assessment of the condition,
as it is the most convenient and least traumatic diagnostic modality.
