What are the other Names for this Condition? (Also known as/Synonyms)

• Headache Attributed to Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis (CVST)
• Headache Attributed to CVT
• Headache due to Cerebral Venous Thrombosis

What is Headache Attributed to Cerebral Venous Thrombosis? (Definition/Background Information)

• Headache Attributed to Cerebral Venous Thrombosis is a headache disorder that occurs secondary to cerebral venous thrombosis. Typically, the headache starts abruptly, involves the entire head (diffuse nature), and increases in severity with time (progressive)
• Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) is a condition in which a blood clot forms in the venous sinus of the brain. The venous sinuses form a complex network of blood vessels in the outer membranes of the brain
• The headache may resemble a migraine, or sometimes a thunderclap headache. In a vast majority of cerebral venous thrombosis cases, headaches are commonly noted as the initial presentation of the condition. Occasionally, only one side of the head may be involved
• In over 90% of the cases, cerebral venous thrombosis is also noted with other neurological manifestations including seizures, intracranial hypertension, or cavernous sinus syndrome. An early diagnosis and prompt treatment of CVT is very important

The criteria for diagnosis of Headache Attributed to Cerebral Venous Thrombosis (CVT) as outlined by the International Headache Society (IHS) is given below:

• Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) has been diagnosed
• Any new headache fulfilling the criterion below

Evidence of causation demonstrated by both of the following:

• Headache has developed in temporal relation to other symptoms and/or clinical signs of CVT, or has led to the discovery of CVT
• Either or both of the following:
  • Headache has significantly worsened in parallel with clinical or radiological signs of extension of the CVT
  • Headache has significantly improved or resolved after improvement of the CVT

Not better accounted for by another ICHD-3 diagnosis.

(Source: International Headache Society Classification ICHD-3, London, United Kingdom)

A differential diagnosis to exclude the following conditions may be necessary:

• Acute headache attributed to non-traumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage
• Cluster headache
• Headache attributed to low cerebrospinal fluid pressure
• Hemicrania continua
• Migraine with/without aura
• Primary thunderclap headache