title: [Spontaneous intracranial hypotension].
abstract: Spontaneous intracranial hypotension is an infrequent clinical entity characterized by orthostatic headache, low cerebrospinal fluid pressure, and magnetic resonance imaging findings of diffuse pachymeningeal gadolinium enhancement without previous history of head trauma or lumbar puncture. A 24 year-old healthy woman was referred after having daily headaches for two weeks. She described a headache that occurred soon after assuming an upright position and disappeared after resuming a recumbent position. The cerebrospinal fluid showed pleocytosis primarily lymphocitic, raised protein content and an opening pressure of 20 mm H2O. Magnetic resonance imaging of the head showed diffuse pachymeningeal gadolinium enhancement. Radioisotope cisternography using 99mTc-DTPA confirmed the cerebrospinal fluid leak in the thoracic region. With conservative treatment the patient improved in a few days and the headache disappeared. Radiological findings, together with a compatible clinical condition, help to establish the diagnosis of spontaneous intracranial hypotension and avoid the use of unnecessary clinical investigations.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Italiano, Buenos Aires, Argentina. juan.rojas@hospitalitaliano.org.ar
authors.forename: Juan Ignacio
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Rojas
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Patrucco
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Doctorovich
authors.forename: Edgardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cristiano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015170:Cerebrospinal Fluid Pressure; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium; D020773:Headache Disorders / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D019585:Intracranial Hypotension / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008578:Meninges / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D016284:Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D005682:Gadolinium; D016284:Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate