The cough/laugh syndrome: MR evaluation.

The cough/laugh syndrome is characterized by the onset of severe headache immediately after an episode of coughing, laughing, or straining. It has been associated with pathologic changes in the posterior fossa, in particular, cerebellar tonsillar herniation or ectopia [1-3]. MR imaging is important in the evaluation of craniocervical anomalies, particularly Chiari malformations [4, 5]. We present the MR findings in two patients who had headache associated with the cough/ laugh syndrome.