Percutaneous Access to the Subarachnoid Space—An Approach to the Patient With Difficult Body Habitus

The needle technique for accessing the subarachnoid space (SAS) was first described by German physician Heinrich Quincke [1] in 1891. The popular Quincke spinal needle still bears his name. The lumbar puncture is performed in the same manner today as it was in the late 1800s, except with minor modifications in equipment and technique. Our radiology department is regularly called upon to access the SAS for both diagnostic and therapeutic indications, to assess or treat such entities as follows