1. Unilateral Venous Thalamic Infarction in a Child Mimicking a Thalamic Tumor
- Author
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Barbara Zieger, Volker Mall, Rudolf Korinthenberg, Verena Haug, M. Linder-Lucht, and Irina Mader
- Subjects
Brain Infarction ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Functional Laterality ,Magnetic resonance angiography ,Thalamus ,Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia ,medicine ,Humans ,Vein ,Venous Thrombosis ,medicine.diagnostic_test ,Brain Neoplasms ,business.industry ,Infant ,Magnetic resonance imaging ,medicine.disease ,Magnetic Resonance Imaging ,Thrombosis ,Venous thrombosis ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Hemiparesis ,Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health ,Female ,Neurology (clinical) ,Radiology ,Intracranial Thrombosis ,medicine.symptom ,Tomography, X-Ray Computed ,business ,Magnetic Resonance Angiography ,Straight sinus - Abstract
Unilateral thalamic infarction is a rare condition in adults. This is a case report of a young child presenting with left-sided hemiparesis of sudden onset due to an unilateral venous thalamic infarction. This was attributed to an asymmetric thrombosis of the cerebral internal veins, a partial thrombosis of the vein of Galen and straight sinus. Magnetic resonance imaging resulted primarily in the differential diagnosis of a cerebral tumor or an intracerebral abscess, leading to stereotactic puncture. Subsequent magnetic resonance venography facilitated the correct diagnosis. Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia necessitated anticoagulation treatment with hirudin and later, warfarin. The patient made a complete recovery. We conclude that unclear unilateral thalamic lesions might be symptomatic of a cerebral deep venous thrombosis and might mimic a thalamic tumor. In uncertain cases, we suggest rapid performance of magnetic resonance angiography.
- Published
- 2009