Spontaneous Intracranial Hypotension: What the Radiologist Needs to Know

Peter Kranz, introduction by Carlos Torres

Spontaneous Intracranial Hypotension (SIH) is caused by leakage of cerebrospinal fluid from the spine, and often causes debilitating symptoms. Recognition of this disease has dramatically expanded over the last decade, and it is now recognized that SIH is not the rare condition it was once thought to be.  As such, all radiologists should expect to encounter SIH in their practice. Treatment of SIH necessitates the use of specialized techniques to characterize and localize the source of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks, making radiologists an indispensable part of managing this condition.  In this presentation, we will review the causes of SIH, imaging techniques used in diagnosis, and how those imaging tests guide therapy.

By the end of this session, participants should be better able to:
- Review clinical presentations of spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH)
- Assess types of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks and their appearance on imaging
- Apply imaging strategies when presented with patients who have SIH