Box 1.

For a diagnosis of idiopathic intracranial hypertension to be made, all five criteria must be met to fulfil the modified diagnostic criteria22

  • Papilloedema present.

  • Normal neurologic examination except for cranial nerve abnormalities (typically VI nerve/s).

  • Normal neuroimaging: no evidence of hydrocephalus, mass or structural lesion, and no abnormal meningeal enhancement on magnetic resonance imaging. Typical radiological features of stigmata of raised intracranial pressure are shown in Fig 4.

  • Normal cerebrospinal fluid composition.

  • Raised lumbar puncture opening pressure (≥250 mmCSF in adults and ≥280 mmCSF in children (250 mmCSF if the child is not sedated and not obese)) in a properly performed lumbar puncture.