Obstruction of cerebral venous sinus secondary to idiopathic intracranial hypertension

Whether cerebral venous sinus obstruction is a cause or consequence of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is uncertain. Among the nine children with IIH, five showed stenosis (n = 5) and occlusion (n = 1) of cerebral venous sinus on cranial magnetic resonance imaging (n = 4) or conventional angiography (n = 1), respectively. Follow-up magnetic resonance imaging performed in four children showed complete regression of the venous pathology in one and partial regression in two of them. Our data demonstrate that cerebral venous sinus obstruction is frequent and frequently transient in pediatric IIH and suggest that stenoses may result from elevated intracranial pressure.