Venous air emboli from intravenous catheterization: a report of iatrogenic intravascular pneumocephalus.

Pneumocephalus in the absence of a recent intracranial or intrathecal procedure is a significant radiographic finding and may be clinically relevant. Pneumocephalus secondary to intravenous catheterization may be a more common finding than previously expected. Although pneumocephalus is often associated with pathological conditions, recognition of a characteristic pattern of intravenous pneumocephalus in the presence of intravenous catheterization may aid the clinician in determining a patient's underlying condition. This unexpected radiographic finding should not necessarily be cause for alarm, and there is no evidence that intravenous pneumocephalus alone is harmful. We present a patient with intravenous pneumocephalus and a review of the literature.