Isolated unilateral thalamic venous infarct in a toddler

Abstract

Isolated deep cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT), especially involving only the right thalamus, is one of the rarest forms of intracranial venous thrombosis in a child. The anatomy and flow patterns of the deep cerebral venous system are complex and usually, the thrombosis of the internal cerebral veins (ICV) results in thalamic infarction bilaterally. The focal infections, thalamic tumours and vascular malformations may have overlapping clinicoradiological patterns. The treating team should be able to recognise the atypical phenotypes of the deep CVT at the earliest, which can facilitate apt treatment and obviate the need for unnecessary investigations and interventions. We present a rare case of an isolated right thalamic acute venous infarct secondary to bilateral ICV thrombosis in a toddler who was successfully managed by timely diagnosis and with only conservative therapy.