3D-CT Epidurography Can Detect Cerebrospinal-Fluid Leakage in a Patient with Spontaneous Intracranial Hypotension: A Case Report

• Published in: NMC case report journal 2015-03, Vol.2 (2), p.76-79
• Main Authors: Seo, Kyoichi, Tsumanuma, Itaru, Inoue, Akira, Sugai, Tsutomu, Kumagai, Takashi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Case Report
• ISSN: 2188-4226
• DOI: 10.2176/nmccrj.2014-0218

Spontaneous intracranial hypotension presents with many symptoms including orthostatic headache, dizziness, and nausea due to cerebrospinal-fluid (CSF) leakage from the spinal dural sac. Although CSF leakage can be estimated by radioisotope (RI) cisternography or computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging myelography, it is not easy to detect the leakage point using these modalities. Here, we describe a patient with spontaneous intracranial hypotension in whom three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) performed just after an epidural blood patch (EBP) containing contrast medium detected leakage point. The contrast medium injected into the epidural space at the L3/4 level migrated into the intradural space at the lower cervical spine level. RI cisternography performed before EBP did not show the CSF leakage point or any intracranial extension of the tracer. The rostral extension of the RI may be blocked by the collapse of the CSF space due to a large amount of CSF leakage, and due to the compression of the intradural CSF space by epidural CSF. 3D-CT epidurography may be useful to detect the fistula of a CSF leakage even in patients where other modalities including MRI, CT, or RI cisternography cannot specify the leakage point.