Tentorial Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas as a Cause of Thalamic Edema: 2 Cases of an Important Differential Diagnosis to Consider.

ABSTRACT: The differential diagnosis for bilateral thalamic edema is extensive and includes vascular, neoplastic, metabolic, and infectious causes. Of the vascular causes of thalamic edema, arterial and venous infarctions are well-documented, but dural arteriovenous fistulas (dAVFs) are a relatively uncommon and widely underrecognized cause of thalamic edema. Dural AVFs are notoriously difficult to diagnose clinically, especially in the absence of hemorrhage, and cross-sectional imaging findings can be subtle. This can result in a delayed diagnosis, and occasionally, an invasive biopsy for further clarification of a purely vascular disease. In this review, we detail our experience with the imaging diagnosis of dAVF as a cause of thalamic edema and present a short differential of other vascular causes.

SUBMITTER: Cox M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8022186 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature