title: Unilateral venous thalamic infarction in a child mimicking a thalamic tumor.
abstract: Unilateral thalamic infarction is a rare condition in adults. This is a case report of a young child presenting with left-sided hemiparesis of sudden onset due to an unilateral venous thalamic infarction. This was attributed to an asymmetric thrombosis of the cerebral internal veins, a partial thrombosis of the vein of Galen and straight sinus. Magnetic resonance imaging resulted primarily in the differential diagnosis of a cerebral tumor or an intracerebral abscess, leading to stereotactic puncture. Subsequent magnetic resonance venography facilitated the correct diagnosis. Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia necessitated anticoagulation treatment with hirudin and later, warfarin. The patient made a complete recovery. We conclude that unclear unilateral thalamic lesions might be symptomatic of a cerebral deep venous thrombosis and might mimic a thalamic tumor. In uncertain cases, we suggest rapid performance of magnetic resonance angiography.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuropediatrics and Muscular Disorders, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Freiburg, Germany. verena.haug@uniklinik-freiburg.de
authors.forename: Verena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Haug
authors.forename: Michaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Linder-Lucht
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zieger
authors.forename: Rudolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Korinthenberg
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mall
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mader
mesh_terms: D020520:Brain Infarction / Q000473:pathology*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D020767:Intracranial Thrombosis; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D013788:Thalamus / Q000473:pathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000473:pathology*