Clinical Intake — Headache

A 48-year-old woman with a history of hypertension presents with a three-week course of progressive headaches accompanied by a new left-sided facial droop first noted approximately one week ago. She denies seizure activity, loss of consciousness, or recent head trauma. Neurological examination demonstrates left facial weakness consistent with an upper motor neuron pattern, with the remainder of the examination non-focal. Given concern for intracranial pathology that cannot be excluded on clinical grounds alone, the treating neurologist recommends urgent advanced cross-sectional neuroimaging at a hospital-based outpatient facility, noting that community imaging centers in the area carry a five-to-seven business day scheduling delay.