Fatal cerebral venous sinus thrombosis as major complication of metastatic cervical mass: computed tomography and magnetic resonance findings

Abstract

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis is an uncommon but potentially lethal condition, with mortality between 5.5-30 per cent. It was previously associated with infections of the orbit, mastoid or face, but, after the advent of antibiotics, the most common causes include neoplasms, dehydration, oral contraceptives, coagulopathies, collagen diseases, and pregnancy and the puerperium. We report a case of fatal cerebral venous sinus thrombosis in a 68-year-old patient with a metastatic cervical mass, who developed internal jugular vein thrombosis that progressed cranially to transverse and sagittal sinus thrombosis.