Lumbar pain with intracranial origin

Acta Radiol. 2013 Apr 1;54(3):324-6. doi: 10.1177/0284185112471794. Epub 2013 Feb 23.

Abstract

A 48-year-old woman presented low-back pain radiating to the lower right leg. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the lumbar spine revealed a L4-L5 subacute subdural hematoma (SDH). The patient had no general or local cause for this lumbar SDH, such as coagulation disorder, trauma, surgery, or lumbar puncture. She had a history of post-traumatic bilateral hemorrhagic contusions of the brain and intracranial SDH because of a fall occurring several months before the current problems. A downward migration of the cerebral SDH was found as only potential explanation of the lumbar SDH. The association between the intracranial and spinal hematomas is discussed.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Accidental Falls
  • Brain Injuries / complications*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Hematoma, Subdural / diagnosis*
  • Humans
  • Low Back Pain / diagnosis*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
  • Middle Aged
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed*