Cerebral venous thrombosis.

Neuroimagining facilities allow early recognition of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT), which now appears far more common than previously assumed. The diagnosis remains difficult because of a wide spectrum of clinical presentation and a highly variable mode of onset. Numerous conditions (presently mostly noninfectious) can cause or predispose to CVT, which therefore requires an extensive etiologic work-up. The functional and vital prognosis is much better than classically thought with, in noninfectious CVT, a fatality rate of less than 10% and a complete recovery in over 70%. Although spontaneous recovery is possible, the efficacy of heparin is now well established.