Intracranial hypotension: clinical presentation, imaging findings, and imaging-guided therapy

Abstract

Purpose of review: To illustrate clinical presentations, imaging findings, and diagnostic and therapeutic approaches associated with various conditions of intracranial hypotension.

Recent findings: Intracranial hypotension occurs spontaneously, following (lumbar) dural puncture, accidental dural opening, or excessive surgical cerebrospinal fluid drainage. The typical clinical manifestation - orthostatic headache - may be masqueraded by atypical clinical findings, including coma, frontotemporal dementia, leptomeningeal hemosiderosis-associated symptoms, and others. MRI signs are highly specific, but the imaging strategy to search for spinal cerebrospinal fluid leaks (none, computed tomography myelography, magnetic resonance myelography with gadolinium, digital subtraction myelography) is a matter of debate. The same is true for the mode of treatment (bed rest, blind, fluoroscopy or computed tomography-guided epidural blood patching, fibrin patching, surgery).

Summary: Clinical presentation as well as diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in intracranial hypotension are very heterogenous.