Classification of venous ischaemia with MRI

Abstract

Purpose: Venous ischaemia is diagnosed by angiography and estimated with SPECT and PET. But venous ischaemia presents different features due to aetiology, type of onset, time course and collateral circulation. The purpose of this study was to analyse and to classify VI with MRI.

Methods: An analysis of 12 cases of dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) with venous ischaemia, 4 cases of sinus thrombosis, and a case of cortical venous thrombosis was performed. Venous ischaemia is classified with MRI as Type 1: no abnormality, Type 2: T2WI showed high signal intensity area and Gd-MRI showed no enhancement, Type 3: T2WI showed high signal intensity area and Gd-MRI showed enhancement, Type 4: venous infarction or haemorrhage.

Results: Type 1 was 8 cases. Type 2 was 3 cases and indicated cytotoxic oedema. Type 3 was 2 cases and indicated vasogenic oedema because of the destruction of blood brain barrier. Type 4 was 4 cases.

Conclusions: The classification may be a useful indicator of severity of venous ischaemia and treatment.