title: Cortical vein thrombosis misinterpreted as intracranial haemorrhage in severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome: case report.
abstract: A case of cortical vein thrombosis presenting as intracranial haemorrhage is described in a patient with ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) after IVF and embryo transfer. Veno-occlusive disease of the brain could appear as a haemorrhagic lesion on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and this made the initial diagnosis of cortical vein thrombosis difficult. The patient developed deep vein thrombosis 2 weeks after the intracranial event and the diagnosis of cortical vein thrombosis was made at that time on MRI study after the resolution of the haemorrhage. This patient actually developed generalized thrombosis as a complication to OHSS. Although the initial MRI picture may be misleading, the diagnosis of thrombosis should always be kept in mind, as it is the commonest cause of intracranial lesions after OHSS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital and Department of Radiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China. ostang@graduate.hku.hk
authors.forename: O S
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: E H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wai Cheng
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chung Ho
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000098:blood supply*; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D007084:Iliac Vein; D020767:Intracranial Thrombosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D016471:Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology