A common complication of lumbar puncture (LP) is postural headaches. Epidural blood patches are recommended if patients fail conservative management. Owing to a perceived increase in the number of post-lumbar puncture headaches (PLPHs) requiring epidural blood patches at a regional hospital in our network, the decision was made to switch from 20 to 22 gauge needles for routine diagnostic LPs.
 
  Patients presenting for LP and myelography at one network regional hospital were included in the study.  https://www.selleckchem.com/  The patients were contacted by nursing staff 3 days post-procedure; those patients who still had postural headaches after conservative management and received epidural blood patches were considered positive cases. In total, 292 patients were included; 134 underwent LP with 20-gauge needles (53 male, 81 female, average age 57.7) and 158 underwent LP with 22-gauge needles (79 male, 79 female, average age 54.6).
 
  Of 134 patients undergoing LP with 20-gauge needles, 15 (11%) had PLPH requiring epidural blood patch (11 female, 3 male, average age 38). Of 158 patients undergoing LP with 22-gauge needles, only 5 (3%) required epidural blood patches (all female, average age 43). The difference was statistically significant (
   < 0.01). Risk factors for PLPH included female gender, younger age, lower body mass index, history of prior PLPH and history of headaches.
 
  Switching from 20-gauge to 22-gauge needles significantly decreased the incidence of PLPH requiring epidural blood patch. Narrower gauge or non-cutting needles should be considered in patients with risk factors for PLPH, allowing for CSF requirements.
 Switching from 20-gauge to 22-gauge needles significantly decreased the incidence of PLPH requiring epidural blood patch. Narrower gauge or non-cutting needles should be considered in patients with risk factors for PLPH, allowing for CSF requirements.
  An abnormally decreased clivoaxial angle (CXA) is used during the clinical evaluation for corrective skull base surgery. Published normal ranges of CXA using x-ray, computed tomography, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) vary dramatically, especially with neck flexion or extension. The aim of this study was to use high-resolution MRI to determine the normal range of CXA in various neck positions using a reproducible measurement technique.
 
  The CXA was measured in 10 healthy volunteers on sagittal T2 SPACE c-spine MRI in supine and prone positions and with the neck both neck and extended. CXA is strictly defined as the angle between a line along the inferior third of the dorsal clival cortex and a line from the superior/posterior cortex of the dens to the posterior/inferior corner of the C2 body. Statistical analysis was performed in all positions and included mean CXA, range, standard deviation (
  ), inter-reader agreement, and group comparisons.
 
  The mean CXA overall was 156.92° (
  =4.23°; range 134-179°). The mean value for extension CXA was 169.20° (
  =5.81°), and the mean value for flexion CXA was 144.73° (
  =5.71°), the difference being statistically significant (
  <0.0001) regardless of supine or prone position. Concordant correlations of reader measurements showed substantial agreement in the supine position at 0.96, with lower agreement in the prone position at 0.87.
 
  We report normal ranges for CXA in various neck positions based on 3D T2-weighted MRI, using a reproducible measurement method. There was a significant difference in the CXA values between neck extended and neck flexed positions but not between supine and prone positions.
 We report normal ranges for CXA in various neck positions based on 3D T2-weighted MRI, using a reproducible measurement method. There was a significant difference in the CXA values between neck extended and neck flexed positions but not between supine and prone positions.
  The primary role of neuroimaging in idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is to exclude secondary causes of raised intracranial pressure. Recently, a few imaging markers have been described which may suggest diagnosis of IIH in atypical cases. We carried out this study to assess the prevalence and accuracy of these neuroimaging signs in predicting the diagnosis of IIH.
 
  Eighty treatment-naive patients with IIH and 30 controls were recruited as per a predefined criterion. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain with detailed sella imaging was done in all patients.
 
  The most common abnormality noted was optic nerve tortuosity in 82.5% of patients, followed by posterior scleral flattening in 80%, perioptic subarachnoid space (SAS) dilatation in 73.8% and partial empty sella in 68.8% of patients. The presence of optic nerve tortuosity was the most sensitive sign on neuroimaging, though the highest specificity was seen for posterior scleral flattening and perioptic SAS dilatation. The presence of more than three neuroimaging features correlated with severity of vision loss.
 
  In suggestive clinical scenarios, posterior scleral flattening, perioptic SAS dilatation and optic nerve tortuosity are highly sensitive and specific signs in IIH. This study also highlights the utility of MRI as a valuable tool for prognosis of visual outcome in patients with IIH.
 In suggestive clinical scenarios, posterior scleral flattening, perioptic SAS dilatation and optic nerve tortuosity are highly sensitive and specific signs in IIH. This study also highlights the utility of MRI as a valuable tool for prognosis of visual outcome in patients with IIH.
  Cervical discogenic pain originates from degenerated intervertebral discs and is a common condition in the middle-aged population. Cervical discs may herniate and give compressions to cervical nerves, with pain and functional limitation of the arms. DiscoGel is a device that can be useful in the treatment of cervical disc herniation, with very short operating time and low radiation dose.
 
  Between March 2018 and April 2019 we performed this procedure on 38 patients with non-fissurated cervical herniation using 0.3-0.4 mL of DiscoGel injected under fluoroscopic guidance. The most common discs affected were C5-C6, C6-C7 and C4-C5. Outcomes were evaluated with Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory (NPSI) scores at 3, 6 and 12 months follow-up. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the cervical spine was performed 3 months after the procedure.
 
  Postoperative examinations showed VAS 2.15 ± 1.34 and NPSI 2.29 ± 0.71.Postoperative MRI performed 3 months after the procedure showed a good improvement of cervical disc herniation or bulging or protrusion.