An Ominous Cause of Headache in a Teenager

Cureus. 2021 Aug 6;13(8):e16934. doi: 10.7759/cureus.16934. eCollection 2021 Aug.

Abstract

We present the case of an adolescent male who presented to the emergency department with headache and vomiting. We discuss the differential diagnosis and the need to maintain a high index of suspicion to avoid missing ominous causes of headache. In this case, the patient had a pineoblastoma, detected on a noncontrast CT scan. The CT scan was done as part of the emergency department workup to evaluate headache accompanied by vomiting in this otherwise healthy teenager.

Keywords: brain tumor; cephalgia; emergency medicine; pediatric headache; pineoblastoma.

Publication types

  • Case Reports