Simply speaking, Pseudotumor Cerebri is a condition in which the body either produces too much cerebrospinal fluid pressure or doesn't absorb it well, resulting in increased cerebrospinal fluid pressure.
Pseudotumor cerebri literally means "false brain tumor" because its symptoms mimic those of brain tumors. It is also (more accurately) called Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH). The term idiopathic is applied because it's cause is not truly known. It is likely due to high pressure caused by the buildup or poor absorption of cerebrospinal fluid in the subarachnoid space surrounding the brain, but the reason for the buildup or poor absorption are also unknown. The disorder is most common in women between the ages of 20 and 50. Being overweight seems to be a a possible contributing factor, but PTC should not be ruled out based only on body weight, age, or gender.
Symptoms of pseudotumor cerebri:
- headache, sometimes daily, sometimes severe, not relieved by medication
- hearing loss
- impaired vision or eventual blindness
- memory problems
- Migraine attacks with unexplained triggers
- nausea
- pain behind the eyes
- pulsating intracranial noises
- shoulder and/or neck pain
- tinnitus
- vomiting
Diagnosis of PTC:
The only truly definitive diagnostic test for PTC is a lumbar puncture (LP) (spinal tap) with the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure measured when the needle is inserted. In some patients, swelling of the optic nerve (papilledema) can be observed in a thorough eye exam. However, it is important to note that the absence of papilledema does not rule out PTC. Not all patients with PTC exhibit papilledema. When the LP is performed, it is also essential that the protein level and cell count of the fluid be tested. The presence of protein or elevated white blood cell count indicate can indicate that inflammation or infection could be causing the elevated CSF pressure.
Secondary Intracranial Hypertension:
While PTC and IIH are idiopathic in origin, Secondary Intracranial Hypertension always has a cause. Diagnosis of Secondary IH is the same as IIH, but Secondary IH can be traced back to causes such as other conditions or medications:
