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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffPseudotumor cerebri (SOO-doh-too-mur SER-uh-bry) occurs when the pressure inside your skull (intracranial pressure) increases for no obvious reason. Symptoms mimic those of a brain tumor, but no tumor is present. Pseudotumor cerebri can occur in children and adults, but it's most common in obese women of childbearing age.
When no underlying cause for the increased intracranial pressure can be discovered, pseudotumor cerebri may also be called idiopathic intracranial hypertension.
The increased intracranial pressure associated with pseudotumor cerebri can cause swelling of the optic nerve and result in vision loss. Medications often can reduce this pressure, but in some cases, surgery is necessary.
- Lee AG, et al. Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (pseudotumor cerebri): Clinical features and diagnosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 29, 2010.
- Lee AG, et al. Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (pseudotumor cerebri): Prognosis and treatment. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 29, 2010.
- Lee AG, et al. Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (pseudotumor cerebri): Epidemiology and pathogenesis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 29, 2010.
- NINDS pseudotumor cerebri information page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/pseudotumorcerebri/pseudotumorcerebri.htm. Accessed Sept. 30, 2010.
- Dhungana S, et al. Review article: Idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Acta Neurologica Scandinavica. 2010;23:71
- Uretsky S. Surgical interventions for idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Current Opinion in Ophthalmology. 2009;20:451.
- Neurological diagnostic tests and procedures. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/misc/diagnostic_tests.htm. Accessed Sept. 30, 2010.
- Papilledema. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec09/ch107/ch107e.html. Accessed Oct. 1, 2010.
- Sinclair AJ, et al. Low energy diet and intracranial pressure in women with idiopathic intracranial hypertension: Prospective cohort study. British Medical Journal. 2010;340:2701.
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