Occurrence of post-acute recanalization and collateral formation in patients with cerebral venous and sinus thrombosis. A serial venographic study.

Background: The underlying mechanism for symptomatic recovery in patients with cerebral venous and sinus thrombosis (CVST) is not clear, although post-acute recanalization and collateral formation have been proposed as possible mechanisms. To identify the occurrence of recanalization and collateral formation among survivors of CVST and explore its association with symptomatic recovery.

Methods: We identified all the patients admitted with CVST over a 5-year period and who underwent initial magnetic resonance (MR) or computed tomographic (CT) venography and a follow-up CT or MR venography between 3 and 12 months after onset.