Vein of Labbé Mimicking an Occipital Epidural Hematoma

Introduction

The vein of Labbé (VL) or inferior anastomotic vein is defined as a cortical cerebral vein that connects the middle superficial vein, which is located in the sylvian fissure, and the transverse sinus [18] [22]. This vessel is of prime importance since it participates in draining the posterior part of both the temporal and parietal lobes [2] [16]. The VL is not commonly seen on computed tomography (CT) studies [25] [26] due to its similar density to brain tissue, its close anatomical relation to the temporal bone, and its relatively small caliber. Furthermore, VL is rarely implicated in post-traumatic complications. Thus, VL is not usually kept in mind by either neurosurgeons or radiologists when analyzing CT scan images, even after head trauma.

We report the case of a mild head trauma patient, whose urgent CT scan showed an image compatible with an occipital epidural hematoma. After thorough radiological and clinical analysis the initial diagnosis of extradural hematoma was ruled out, while a prominent and looped VL was disclosed as being responsible for the false image on CT.

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