Orbital vein thrombosis

Among vascular diseases that may chnicaUy appear as tumor-like lesions, there are capillary and cavernous hemangioma, orbital vein anomaly, venous-lymphatic malformation, orbital vein thrombosis, and carotid-cavernous fistula. When large, vascular lesions oftentimes are not confined to one orbital space alone, and they may extend to extra-orbital locations of the head and neck (Flis and Connor 2005). 

Orbital vein thrombosis may occur by itself or as a sequel of thrombosis of the cavernous sinus. It presents as an intravenous mass and most frequently involves the superior orbital vein. The most important cross-sectional imaging features include dilated venous vessels and lack of contrast enhancement. Additional findings on unenhanced scans are increased density at CT and variable appearance at MRI, which depends on the age of the blood clot and associated degradation of hemoglobin (Mueller-Forell and PiTZ 2004). 

Barnwell SL, Halbach VV, Dowd CF et al (1991a) Multiple dural arteriovenous fistulas of the cranium and spine. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 12 441-445 Barnwell SL, Higashida RT, Halbach VV et al (1991b) Direct endovascular thrombolytic therapy for dural sinus thrombosis. Neurosurgery 28 135-142 Benndorf G, Bender A, Lehmann R et al (2000) Transvenous occlusion of dural cavernous sinus fistulas through the thrombosed inferior petrosal sinus report of four cases and review of the literature. Surg Neurol 54 42-54 Benndorf G, Bender A, Campi A et al (2001) Treatment of a cavernous sinus dural arteriovenous fistula by deep orbital puncture of the superior ophthalmic vein. Neuroradiology 43 499-502... 

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