Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) venography in diagnosing cerebral venous thrombosis

	CT venography	MR venography
Advantages	Can be performed immediately after standard computed tomographyQuick (1-2 minutes)Readily availableFewer motion artefactsCan use if patient has cardiac pacemaker or claustrophobiaGood spatial resolutionSensitive test	No radiation exposure (consider use in paediatric or pregnant patient)Use where CT contrast medium is contraindicatedSensitive test
Disadvantages	Exposure to ionising radiation Use of iodinated contrast medium (increased risk of contrast reactions in patients with asthma, renal failure, and allergy to iodine)	Time consuming; image quality more prone to patient movement Not as readily available as CT venographyNeed to be aware of potential technical pitfalls in diagnosisCannot be used if patient has cardiac pacemaker; difficult for claustrophobic patients.
Sensitivity	Overall accuracy 90-100%, depending on vein or sinus	Comparable to CT venography>90% when various MR sequences are combined with MR venography