The purpose is to illustrate the potential of the ultrasound technique applied to the developmental abnormalities of the spinal cord, with special reference to the proper execution of the examination, the recognition of normal anatomy, its variations, as well as artifacts frequently present during the investigation.
The spinal dysraphism is defined as an incomplete or absent fusion of medial neural structures. Ultrasound is a technique of proven accuracy in the study of the spinal cord and its diseases especially in newborns due to the "acoustic window" offered by the partial ossification of the vertebral arches.
Indications for spinal ultrasonography are: 1) suspicious lumbosacral skin lesions , 2) detection of sequelae of injury, 3) identification of blood within spinal canal in patients with intracranial hemorrhage, 4) guidance for lumbar puncture, 5) postoperative assessment for cord retethering.
The examination should be performed with high-frequency linear probes (9-15 MHz), through transverse and longitudinal scans with the patient in prone position, lying on a pillow. The poster contains images of normal human anatomy of lumbar area, other of frequent anatomical variants and also hints of pathology. We will provide a practical guide with the aim of improving the execution technique in order to recognize the most typical signs of occult spinal dysraphisms.
An ultrasound examination can demonstrate the entire spectrum of spinal cord disorders with a sensitivity that is equal to that of MRI. It is readly available and doesn't need any kind of sedation. Therefore, ultrasound should be considered the screening modality of choice for investigating the spinal cord diseases in infants as well as the main tool for a short distance follow-up.
