Role of ultrasound in diagnosis and management of cerebral vein and sinus thrombosis.

Ultrasound examination of cerebral veins and sinuses is a new application which has been developed in the recent years. In the acute phase of cerebral vein and sinus thrombosis, occlusion of dural sinuses may be diagnosed by transcranial color-coded duplex sonography (TCCS) after echo contrast agent application demonstrating a filling defect. Collateral venous flow can be assessed by both transcranial Doppler sonography and TCCS. However, ultrasonographic techniques are not sensitive enough to exclude cerebral venous thrombosis, but they may complement other imaging techniques. In the follow-up, sonographic findings are related to the functional outcome.