Differential & Work-up: Headache, Loss of Vision Flashcards
21 yo F presents with several episodes of throbbing left temporal pain that last for 2 to 3 hours. Before onset, she sees flashes of light in her right visual field and feels weakness and numbness on the right side of her body for a few minutes. Her headaches are often associated with nausea and vomiting and she feels bothered by light.She has a family history ofmigraine.
- Hemiplegic Migraine (Migraine w/ Motor Aura)
- Tension Headache
- Cluster Headache
- TIA
- Partial Seizures
- Pseudomotor Cerebri
- CNS vasculitis
- Focal Seizure (OccipitoParietal)
- Intracranial neoplasm
26 yo M presents with severe right temporal headaches associated with ipsilateral rhinorrhea, eye tearing, and redness. Episodes have occurred at the same time every night for the past week and last for 45minutes.
- Cluster Headache
- Migraine
- Trigeminal Neuralgia
- Intracranial neoplasm
- Tension Headache
WORK UP FOR:
- Hemiplegic Migraine (Migraine w/ Motor Aura)
- Tension Headache
- Cluster Headache
- TIA
- Partial Seizures
- Pseudomotor Cerebri
- CNS vasculitis
- Focal Seizure (OccipitoParietal)
- Intracranial neoplasm
- MRI-Brain
- CT-Head
- CBC
- ESR
WORK UP FOR:
- Cluster Headache
- Migraine
- Trigeminal Neuralgia
- Intracranial neoplasm
- Tension Headache
- MRI-brain
- CT-head
- CBC
- ESR
65 yo F presents with a new-onset severe, intermittent right temporal headache, fever, blurred vision in her right eye, weight loss, and pain in her jaw when chewing. She has a history of shoulder stiffness. On examination she has right temporal tenderness to palpation and reduced right eye visual acuity.
- Temporal arteritis (giant cell arteritis)
- Vasculitis
- Migraine
- Cerebral abscess
- Cluster headache
- Tension headache
- Meningitis
- Carotid artery dissection
- Pseudotumor cerebri
- Trigeminal neuralgia
- Intracranial neoplasm
- Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder
WORK UP FOR:
- Temporal arteritis (giant cell arteritis)
- Vasculitis
- Migraine
- Cerebral abscess
- Cluster headache
- Tension headache
- Meningitis
- Carotid artery dissection
- Pseudotumor cerebri
- Trigeminal neuralgia
- Intracranial neoplasm
- Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder
- Temporal artery biopsy
- ESR
- CRP
- CBC
- Doppler U/S-carotid
- MRI-brain
30 yo F presents with 1 week of frontal headache, fever, and nasal discharge, the headache worsens when she bends forward. There is pain on palpation of the frontal and maxillary sinuses. She has a history of allergies.
- Acute sinusitis
- Migraine
- Tension headache
- Cerebral abscess
- Meningitis
- Intracranial neoplasm
WORK UP FOR:
- Acute sinusitis
- Migraine
- Tension headache
- Cerebral abscess
- Meningitis
- Intracranial neoplasm
- CBC
- XR-sinus
- CT-sinus
50 yo F presents with recurrent episodes of bilateral squeezing headaches that occur 3 to 4 times a week, typically toward the end of her workday. She is experiencing significant stress in her life and recently decreased her intake of caffeine. Neurological examination is normaL
- Tension headache
- Migraine
- Caffeine or analgesic withdrawal
- Depression
- Intracranial neoplasm
- Cluster headache
- Pseudotumor cerebri
WORK UP FOR:
- Tension headache
- Migraine
- Caffeine or analgesic withdrawal
- Depression
- Intracranial neoplasm
- Cluster headache
- Pseudotumor cerebri
- CBC
- Electrolytes
- ESR
- MRI-brain
- LP-CSF analysis
35 yo M presents with sudden severe headache, vomiting, confusion, left hemiplegia, and nuchal rigidity.
- Subarachnoid hemorrhage
- Meningitis/ encephalitis
- Intracranial hemorrhage
- Vertebral artery dissection
- Intracranial venous thrombosis
- Migraine
- Hypertensive encephalopathy
- Intracranial neoplasm
WORK UP FOR:
- Subarachnoid hemorrhage
- Meningitis/ encephalitis
- Intracranial hemorrhage
- Vertebral artery dissection
- Intracranial venous thrombosis
- Migraine
- Hypertensive encephalopathy
- Intracranial neoplasm
- CT -head w/out contrast
- LP-opening pressure w/ CSF analysis
- CBC
- PT/PTT/INR
- Urine toxicology
- Digital subtraction angiography (DSA)
- MRI-brain
- CT -angiography
25 yo M army recruit presents with high fever, severe headache, confusion, photophobia, and nuchal rigidity.
- Meningitis
- Subarachnoid hemorrhage
- Encephalitis
- Sinusitis
- Migraine
- Intracranial or epidural abscess
WORK UP FOR:
- Meningitis
- Subarachnoid hemorrhage
- Encephalitis
- Sinusitis
- Migraine
- Intracranial or epidural abscess
- LP-CSF analysis (cell count, protein, glucose, Gram stain, PCR for specific pathogens, culture)
- Blood culture
- CBC
- CT-head
- MRI-brain
- PT/PTT/INR
18 yo obese F presents with a daily pulsatile headache, vomiting. and blurred vision for the past 2 to 3 weeks. She is taking OCPs.
- Pseudotumo cerebri
- Migraine
- Tension headache
- Intracranial venous thrombosis
- Intracranial neoplasm
- Cluster headache
- Meningitis