Welcome, Guest. Please Login or Register
Clusterheadaches.com
 
Search box updated Dec 3, 2011... Search ch.com with Google!
  HomeHelpSearchLoginRegisterEvent CalendarBirthday List  
 





Page Index Toggle Pages: 1
Send Topic Print
Scan or not? Recurring issue. (Read 1641 times)
Bob Johnson
CH.com Alumnus
***
Offline


"Only the educated are
free." -Epictetus


Posts: 5965
Kennett Square, PA (USA)
Gender: male
Scan or not? Recurring issue.
Jun 3rd, 2008 at 3:18pm
 
The same authors give conflicting recommendations in different articles. It's clear this is still an open issue and, I expect, conservative docs will go for CYA.
-------
: Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2008 Apr;12(2):128-31.
Cluster headache: to scan or not to scan.

Favier I, Haan J, Ferrari MD.

Department of Neurology, K5-Q, Leiden University Medical Centre, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands. i.favier@lumc.nl

By definition, cluster headache (CH) is not caused by underlying structural pathology. However, patients with CH or CH-like syndromes and an associated structural lesion have been described. In many cases it is difficult to establish a causal relation between the headache syndrome and the lesion. We reviewed the literature for symptomatic CH or CH-like cases in which causality was very likely, and we found that even typical CH with a typical episodic time pattern and a response to typical CH treatment can be caused by underlying structural pathology such as a pituitary tumor. Based on this small retrospective series of case reports, it is impossible to give advice about neuroimaging.

If neuroimaging is considered, MRI (not CT) is the investigation of choice.

PMID: 18474193 [PubMed]
Back to top
« Last Edit: Jun 3rd, 2008 at 5:40pm by Bob Johnson »  

Bob Johnson
 
IP Logged
 
washed-out
CH.com Junior
**
Offline


Native Engrish Speaker
:D


Posts: 87
Poland
Gender: male
Re:  Scan or not? Recurring issue.
Reply #1 - Jun 3rd, 2008 at 10:12pm
 
Hmm IMO a scan always should be done, even if headaches look exactly like CH. MRI or at least CT... (though very often some things are way too small to be visible @ CT image)

Well, I've got a pituitary tumor (microadenoma) but it doesn't seem to be related with my CH-like headaches. I was also told (by a very good doctor) that some patients had their tumors (bigger than mine) removed and it didn't help them... My tumor was very small when it was detected, I am very curious how is it at the moment (I am having a MRI next week).
Back to top
  
 
IP Logged
 
Page Index Toggle Pages: 1
Send Topic Print

DISCLAIMER: All information contained on this web site is for informational purposes only.  It is in no way intended to be used as a replacement for professional medical treatment.   clusterheadaches.com makes no claims as to the scientific/clinical validity of the information on this site OR to that of the information linked to from this site.  All information taken from the internet should be discussed with a medical professional!