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.