title: Thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein (Lemierre syndrome): clinical and CT findings.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein (IJV) secondary to neck infection (so-called Lemierre syndrome) is a rare disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the clinical and CT findings in patients with thrombophlebitis of the IJV.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical and contrast-enhanced neck CT findings were retrospective analyzed in 10 patients (eight men, two women; mean age, 62.9 ± 8.3 years) with thrombophlebitis of the IJV.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five patients (50%) had complications, including pneumonia (n = 3), neck abscess (n = 1), and thrombophlebitis of cerebral venous sinus (n = 1). All patients, except two who were lost to follow-up, had improved after antibiotics and anticoagulation therapy. Nine (90%) patients had underlying infectious processes in the neck. Contrast-enhanced neck CT of 12 IJVs (five right, three left, and two bilateral) affected by thrombophlebitis demonstrated > 5 cm in length (n = 8, 67%), ovoid shape (n = 7, 58%), complete occlusion of the lumen (n = 10, 83%), circumferential (n = 11, 92%), smooth (n = 8, 67%), and thick (≥4 mm) (n = 8, 67%) rim enhancement, and adjacent soft tissue swelling (n = 11, 92%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Contrast-enhanced CT is useful in the diagnosis of thrombophlebitis of the IJV; characteristic CT findings of this unusual entity may be the main clue to the correct diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Kangdong Seong-Sim Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul.
authors.forename: Bo Yeon
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dae Young
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Hyeong Chul
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Eun Soo
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sora
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baek
authors.forename: Kyoung Ja
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Young Lan
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Eun Joo
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: Chul Soon
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Sang Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Bae
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007472:Iohexol; D057831:Lemierre Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000925:Anticoagulants; D003287:Contrast Media; D007472:Iohexol
keywords: Lemierre syndrome; Thrombophlebitis; computed tomography; internal jugular vein