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. 2021 Mar;126(3):399-404.
doi: 10.1007/s11547-020-01263-2. Epub 2020 Aug 24.

Accuracy of unenhanced CT in the diagnosis of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis

Matteo Bonatti  1 , Riccardo Valletta  2   3 , Fabio Lombardo  4 , Giulia A Zamboni  3 , Emanuela Turri  5 , Giacomo Avesani  6 , Giancarlo Mansueto  3 , Riccardo Manfredi  6 , Günther Schifferle  2
Affiliations

Accuracy of unenhanced CT in the diagnosis of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis

Matteo Bonatti et al. Radiol Med. 2021 Mar.

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of unenhanced brain CT (NECT) in identifying patients with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVT).

Methods: Forty-eight consecutive patients with CVT and 48 healthy controls were included in our retrospective study. All patients underwent NECT and CT/MR angiography within 24 h. Two radiologists independently evaluated NECT images for the presence of sinus hyperdensity; discrepancies were solved by consensus. Sinus attenuation was measured in seven sites. The obtained data were compared with the presence of CVT at CT/MR angiography and with patients' hematocrit.

Results: Interobserver agreement in sinus hyperdensity detection was good (k = 0.64). The presence of sinus hyperdensity at NECT enabled to detect patients with CVT with 81% sensitivity, 77% specificity, 78% PPV, and 80% NPV. Mean attenuation was significantly higher in sinus segments involved by CVT than in patent ones (62.4 ± 10 versus 55.6 ± 6 HU, p < 0.0001). ROC analysis showed that a cutoff value of 63 HU enables to detect patients with CVT with 52% sensitivity and 88% specificity. Hematocrit values were significantly correlated with patent sinus segments attenuation (r = 0.19).

Conclusions: The presence of sinus hyperdensity at NECT enables to detect patients with CVT with 81% sensitivity and 77% specificity. A sinus attenuation cutoff value of 63 HU can be used in order to increase specificity, but lowering sensitivity.

Keywords: Computed tomography angiography; Headache; Hematocrit; Multidetector computed tomography; Sinus thrombosis; Stroke; intracranial.

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