Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Intracranial Hypotension: Diagnostic Value of Combined Qualitative Signs and Quantitative Metrics

Outcome of epidural blood patch for imaging-negative spontaneous intracranial hypotension

BACKGROUND

Spontaneous intracranial hypotension is diagnosed by an abnormal finding in brain MRI, spinal imaging, or lumbar puncture. However, the sensitivity of each test is low. We investigated whether patients with suspected spontaneous intracranial hypotension and negative imaging findings would respond to epidural blood patch.

METHODS

We prospectively recruited patients with new-onset orthostatic headache admitted at the Samsung Medical Center from January 2017 to July 2021. In patients without abnormal imaging findings and no history of prior epidural blood patch, treatment outcome-defined as both 50% response in maximal headache intensity and improvement of orthostatic component-was collected at discharge and three months after epidural blood patch.

RESULTS

We included 21 treatment-naïve patients with orthostatic headache and negative brain and spinal imaging results who received epidural blood patch. After epidural blood patch (mean 1.3 times, range 1-3), 14 (66.7%) and 19 (90.5%) patients achieved both 50% response and improvement of orthostatic component at discharge and three months post-treatment, respectively. Additionally, complete remission was reported in 11 (52.4%) patients at three-month follow-up, while most of the remaining patients had only mild headaches. Among nine (42.9%) patients who underwent lumbar puncture, none had an abnormally low opening pressure (median 13.8 cm H₂O, range 9.2-21.5).

CONCLUSION

Given the high responder rates of epidural blood patch in our study, empirical epidural blood patch should be considered to treat new-onset orthostatic headache, even when brain and spinal imaging are negative. The necessity of lumbar puncture is questionable considering the high response rate of epidural blood patch and low rate of "low pressure."

Multimodality Multisystem Imaging of Pregnancy-Related Changes: Featuring Neurologic, Cardiothoracic, Breast, Gynecologic, and Musculoskeletal Issues

ABSTRACT

Pregnancy and the puerperium are a time of significant physiologic change, and with an average of 4 million births in the United States yearly, radiologists encounter pregnancy-related imaging findings regularly. While many of these findings represent physiologic changes, a significant number represent pathology, making it paramount for radiologists to distinguish between the two. This case-based article reviews imaging findings within the nervous, cardiovascular, pulmonary, breast, gynecologic, musculoskeletal, digestive, hematologic, and integumentary systems throughout pregnancy and the postpartum period.

Diagnosing Secondary and Primary Headache Disorders

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This article provides a systematic diagnostic approach to the patient with headache.

RECENT FINDINGS

The vast majority of patients presenting with headache in clinical practice have a primary headache disorder. The most common primary headache disorder in clinical practice is overwhelmingly migraine. Unfortunately, a substantial proportion of patients with migraine do not receive an accurate diagnosis. In addition, the clinical features of migraine overlap with secondary causes of headache, making a careful history and deliberative evaluation for warning symptoms or signs of a secondary headache disorder of paramount importance.

SUMMARY

The approach to the patient with headache requires knowledge of the diagnostic criteria for primary headache disorders, recognition of the importance of a systematic evaluation for red flags associated with secondary headache disorders, and awareness of the pearls and pitfalls encountered in the diagnostic evaluation of a patient with headache.