title: Cerebral transverse sinus morphology as detected by MR venography in patients with chronic migraine.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To clarify the frequency and characteristics of altered transverse sinus morphology in a series of consecutive patients with chronic migraine.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  As terminology, neuroradiological techniques and patient selection differ widely across various studies, reliable, reproducible information is lacking on the frequency of cerebral transverse sinus asymmetry as measured by cerebral magnetic resonance venography in patients with chronic migraine.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed the frequency and characteristics of transverse sinus asymmetries and their correlation with the chronic migraine phenotype in a blind, cross-sectional magnetic resonance venographic study in a series of 83 consecutive patients with chronic migraine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After excluding mild (≤ 10%) physiological differences in transverse sinus diameter, we found magnetic resonance venographic evidence of altered transverse sinus morphology in 50.6% of the patients: 16.9% had moderate transverse sinus asymmetry (≤ 50%), 24.1% severe asymmetry (>50%), and 9.6% aplasia. Among the tested risk factors for migraine chronification, analgesic consumption, anxiety, and high systolic blood pressure were more frequent in patients with transverse sinus aplasia than in those without.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Advanced magnetic resonance venographic techniques used in strictly selected subjects disclose transverse sinus asymmetries in as many as 50.6% of patients with chronic migraine, even when mild differences in physiological caliber are excluded. The unexpected correlation between transverse sinus aplasia and some risk factors for migraine chronification requires confirmation in larger studies.
authors.affiliation: Headache and Pain Unit, Department of Neurological, Motor and Sensorial Sciences, IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fofi
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Giugni
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vadalà
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vanacore
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aurilia
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Egeo
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pierallini
authors.forename: Piero
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Barbanti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000473:pathology*; D054064:Transverse Sinuses / Q000473:pathology*