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Review
. 2014 Jan;83(1):3-9.

Acute headache

Affiliations
Review

Acute headache

Raeburn B Forbes. Ulster Med J. 2014 Jan.
No abstract available

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Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1
A 39 year old man with sudden, severe ‘thunderclap’ headache and vomiting several times at onset of pain. CT Brain performed on admission to A+E shows subarachnoid blood in left Sylvian Fissure (arrow). Subsequently found to have left middle cerebral artery aneurysm.
Fig 2a
Fig 2a
Man in his 30's with sudden severe headache associated with sexual activity. CT Angiogram reconstruction shows marked basilar artery segmental narrowing (arrow) which subsequently resolved at follow up. Consistent with the Reversible Cerebral vasoconstriction Syndrome.
Fig 2b
Fig 2b
Resolution of basilar artery segmental narrowing at follow up 8 weeks later (MRA reconstruction)
Fig 3a
Fig 3a
Non contrast Sagittal T1 image. Lady in her 30's with new onset headache, reaching maximum within several hours and with almost complete relief on lying flat. Symptoms persisted for several weeks before MRI Imaging performed. Shows pituitary engorgement (short arrow), sagging of brain stem with loss of normal pontine convexity (long arrow), and cerebellar tonsillar descent (medium arrow).
Fig3b
Fig3b
Gadolinium enhanced MRI showing marked dural enhancement (arrows). Symptoms were abolished following 2 epidural blood patch procedures.
Fig 4
Fig 4
A lady in mid-twenties who previously attended neurology with frequent migraine. Presented with new daily persistent headache of several weeks duration like a severe pressure in her head and preventing sleep. Completely unlike previous migraine. MRI Head shows total opacification of right sphenoid sinus (arrow). Her new headache was relieved after surgical treatment, but episodic migraine continued

References

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    1. Perry JJ, Stiell IG, Sivilotti ML, Bullard MJ, Hohl CM, Sutherland J, et al. Clinical decision rules to rule out subarachnoid hemorrhage for acute headache. Jama. 2013;310(12):1248–55. - PubMed

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