Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension

Abstract

Objective:To study brain histologic features in two cases of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (pseudotumor cerebri) at autopsy.Design:Formaldehyde solution—fixed sections of cerebral white matter in two cases and structures of the sensory visual system in one case were analyzed.Setting:University medical center.Patients:Two patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension who died unexpectedly.Main Outcome Measure:Histologic study of cerebral white matter in the two patients.Results:We did not find histologic evidence of any type of cerebral edema in our patients. Review of a portion of the material from a previous report is also consistent with this conclusion.Conclusion:If patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension have histologically apparent cerebral edema, it is not a consistent finding.