Association between idiopathic intracranial hypertension and sigmoid sinus dehiscence/diverticulum with pulsatile tinnitus: a retrospective imaging study

The mechanism of occurrence of sigmoid sinus dehiscence/diverticulum (SSDD) in pulsatile tinnitus (PT) patients remains under debate. Its association with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) lacks evidence, which is important for therapeutic planning and improving the clinical outcome. This study aimed to evaluate the association between SSDD and IIH by comparing the prevalence of several established imaging features of IIH between PT patients with SSDD and healthy volunteers. Thirty-three unilateral PT patients with SSDD identified on CT images and 33 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers underwent T1-weighted volumetric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The optic nerve, pituitary gland, transverse sinus, and ventricles were assessed. The prevalence of established IIH imaging features was compared between the two groups. Furthermore, the PT patients were divided into two subgroups: PT patients with dehiscence only and PT patients with diverticulum. The same statistical analysis was performed on each pathophysiologic entity respectively. The PT patients with SSDD showed a significantly higher prevalence of empty sella (P