title: Magnetic resonance imaging in the early diagnosis of cavernous sinus thrombosis.
abstract: A 55-year-old man reported a severe headache of 3 days' duration, left ptosis and left lid swelling before examination. The ocular examination revealed left eye proptosis, severe edema of the left bulbar conjunctiva and lid, increasing intraocular pressure of the left eye and ptosis on the left side with decreased extraocular movement. The right eye was normal. Hematologic studies indicated mild inflammation. An enhanced computed tomography scan revealed proptosis of the left globe and enlargement of the superior ophthalmic vein and cavernous sinus of the left side. Angiography revealed an area of interrupted blood flow in the left cavernous sinus. Enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with Gd-DTPA revealed a low-intensity area that was suspected to be a blood clot in the enlarged left cavernous sinus. This case indicates the efficacy of enhanced MRI examination in the early diagnosis of cavernous sinus thrombosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Asahikawa Medical College, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Igarashi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Igarashi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fujio
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fukui
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yoshida
mesh_terms: D002426:Cavernous Sinus / Q000473:pathology*; D003287:Contrast Media; D005094:Exophthalmos / Q000175:diagnosis; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009915:Orbit / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D012851:Sinus Thrombosis, Intracranial / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014680:Veins / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA