Diagnostic utility of magnetic resonance imaging in isolated cortical venous thrombosis presenting with seizures and a hypercoagulable state

Abstract

Isolated cortical venous thrombosis (ICVT) is an uncommon disorder that has only rarely been reported. Because of the increased use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for investigating patients with new-onset seizures, ICVT, which is detectable by MRI, should be diagnosed more frequently. In this report, we describe the case of a 50-year-old woman who presented with seizures and in a hypercoagulable state. She was diagnosed with ICVT, which was detected by T2*-weighted gradient-echo MRI. It is considered that, with the increasing use of T2*-weighted gradient-echo imaging, ICVT should be diagnosed more frequently in patients presenting with seizures, especially when in combination with a hypercoagulable state. Such early diagnosis would improve these patients' outcomes. Keywords: Cerebral venous thrombosis, Magnetic resonance imaging, Seizures