Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Case Reports
. 2019 Sep;21(3):163-168.
doi: 10.7461/jcen.2019.21.3.163. Epub 2019 Sep 30.

Symptomatic Sinus Pericranii with Adult Onset Headache: A Case Report with Pathologic Perspective

Affiliations
Case Reports

Symptomatic Sinus Pericranii with Adult Onset Headache: A Case Report with Pathologic Perspective

Young Soo Chung et al. J Cerebrovasc Endovasc Neurosurg. 2019 Sep.

Abstract

Sinus pericranii (SP) is a rare vascular anomaly of the scalp that consists of an abnormal pericranial venous channel connected to adjacent dural venous sinuses. Most SP are asymptomatic and are found in the pediatric age group. We aim to report a case of symptomatic SP in adult and describe the clinical, radiological, and pathohistological findings to help understand and differentiate this lesion from other scalp lesions. A 40-year-old man with a scalp mass was admitted to our hospital complaining of headache. The lesion enlarged when the patient was in a recumbent position or during Valsalva maneuver. The radiologic imaging suggested its diagnosis as an accessory type of SP with bone erosion. Surgical resection and cranioplasty were successfully performed, and the related headache also gradually subsided. At the 3-year follow-up, there was no recurrence on magnetic resonance imaging.

Keywords: Headache; Sinus pericranii; Vascular malformation.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: The authors have no conflict of interest concerning this case report.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Computed tomography (CT) scan. (A) Sagittal view, isodense round-shaped mass (arrow) located above the skull. (B) Sagittal view of bone window setting, the related calvarial erosion (arrow) was noted. (C) Complete removal of sinus pericranii and well-formed cranial vault with mesh plate was noted in postoperative CT scan.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2. Preoperative magnetic resonance (MR) imaging showed heterogenous signals and flow voids within the mass in both T1 (A) and T2 (B) weighted images. Gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted MR imaging (C) showed a contrast-enhancing mass between galea aponeurotica and skull. Three year's follow-up gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted MR imaging (D) showed a complete obliteration of mass without any recurrence.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3. Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) findings of sinus pericranii (SP). (A) Internal carotid angiography lateral view; in late venous phase, a majority of the cerebral venous outflow occurred through the superior sagittal sinus (SSS, arrow). Small contrast filling of extracranial–intracranial venous channel was also identified (arrowhead). (B) External carotid angiography AP view; in late venous phase, the SP (arrowhead) was connected with SSS (arrow). (C) External carotid angiography lateral view; in late venous phase, only a part of the extracranial venous outflow was draining through the SP (arrowhead). These findings indicated an accessory type SP.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4. Pathologic findings of sinus pericranii (SP). (A) H&E staining (× 100); it showed a single-layer flattened endothelium (arrow) with thick venous stroma (asterisk), which suggested a congenital type of SP. (B) CD-31 staining (× 100); thin brownish endothelial layers showed the vascular nature. (C) D2–40 staining (× 40); it showed the absence of lymphatic wall.

References

    1. Akram H, Prezerakos G, Haliasos N, O'Donovan D, Low H. Sinus pericranii: an overview and literature review of a rare cranial venous anomaly (a review of the existing literature with case examples) Neurosurg Rev. 2012 Jan;35(1):15–26. discussion 26. - PubMed
    1. Arita K, Uozumi T, Kuwabara S, Kiya K, Sumida M, Iida K. A case of scalp cavernous hemangioma simulating sinus pericranii. Hiroshima J Med Sci. 1992 Mar;41(1):19–23. - PubMed
    1. Bick DS, Brockland JJ, Scott AR. A scalp lesion with intracranial extension. Atretic cephalocele. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2015 Mar;141(3):289–290. - PubMed
    1. Gandolfo C, Krings T, Alvarez H, Ozanne A, Schaaf M, Baccin CE. Sinus pericranii: diagnostic and therapeutic considerations in 15 patients. Neuroradiology. 2007 Jun;49(6):505–514. - PubMed
    1. Guler S, Tatli B. Rare vascular pathology sinus pericranii; becomes symptomatic with pseudotumor cerebri. Turk J Pediatr. 2015 Nov-Dec;57(6):618–620. - PubMed

Publication types