The diagnostic value of susceptibility weighted imaging for cerebral venous malformation

Abstract

Objective To assess the diagnostic value of susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) for cerebral venous malformation. Methods The SWI features of 23 patients with cerebral venous malformation were analyzed retrospectively. The SWI images were compared with conventional MRI and cerebral angiography. Results All the patients performed conventional sequences, contrast enhanced MRI scanning, SWI sequences and digital substraction angiography (DSA) examination. Solitary lesion were revealed in 20 out of 23 cases, which included 4 cases accompanied with cavernoma, while 3 cases had multiple lesions. The lesions presented spotty or patchy low intense image on T1WI, and streak or short streak low intense image on T2WI. On contrast enhanced scanning, all lesions presented marked radial enhancement. At the venous phase of DSA, dilated pulp veins and gross draining vein were seen in all the patients. Dilated pulp veins and gross draining vein were shown more completely, extensively and clearly by SWI than those on MRI and cerebral angiography. Conclusion SWI is of high value for detecting and characterizing cerebral venous malformation. It is a rapid, noninvasive and reliable approach to diagnose cerebral venous malformation and can be adopted to replace DSA in screening and preoperative assessment for this disease.

DOI：10.3969/j.issn.1672-6731.2010.02.021