Venography and venous pressure monitoring in dural sinus meningiomas.

Abstract

This study was undertaken to determine the impact of dural sinus venography and pressure measurements in the evaluation of patients with meningiomas involving the dural sinuses. Of three patients who had MR imaging, arteriography, and dural sinus venography, the latter method better delineated the site and extent of tumor invasion in all three patients. Pressure measurement in one patient reflected the severity of the hemodynamic compromise resulting from narrowing of the transverse sinus. In one patient, dural sinus venography confirmed patency of the superior sagittal sinus that was unsuspected on MR scans and arteriograms. A test occlusion of the area of stenosis in the third patient allowed the surgeon to sacrifice that segment of the sinus without deficit. Dural sinus venography is a useful adjunct to arteriography and MR imaging in the evaluation of invasive meningiomas.