Idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Lack of histologic evidence for cerebral edema.

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.