intracraneal

Intracraneal, often spelled intracranial, is an adjective meaning located within the cranial cavity, the space inside the skull that houses the brain, the meninges, blood vessels, and cerebrospinal fluid. The term is used across medicine, neurology, and neurosurgery to describe structures, conditions, or procedures inside the skull. Intracraneal is commonly contrasted with extracranial, which refers to structures or processes outside the skull.

In anatomy, intracraneal refers to components of the central nervous system and its protective coverings, including brain regions, the meninges, ventricles, and cerebrospinal fluid system. In pathology, intracraneal conditions include intracranial hemorrhages (epidural, subdural, subarachnoid, and intracerebral), intracranial tumors (such as gliomas and meningiomas), and intracranial infections (e.g., meningitis, encephalitis). Raised intracranial pressure can arise from injury, edema, tumors, or hydrocephalus, and is explained conceptually by the Monroe-Kellie doctrine, which describes the fixed-volume nature of the skull.

Diagnosis typically relies on imaging modalities such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), along with neurologic assessment. Treatment may involve surgical interventions (craniotomy or burr hole procedures), intracranial pressure monitoring, or targeted therapies for specific conditions. Intracraneal devices include intracranial pressure monitors and implanted neuromodulation or monitoring systems.

Note that intracraneal is a variant spelling; intracranial is the standard term in most medical literature.