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.
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.