Perioperative ultrasound imaging versus magnetic resonance imaging in management of lumbosacral spinal dysraphisms

Abstract

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to correlate lumbosacral spinal ultrasound (LUS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in patients with lumbosacral spinal dysraphisms to evaluate the value of LUS in diagnosis, intraoperative use, and during follow-up of those patients.MethodsA total of 24 patients aged up to 6\u2009years old were operated for lumbosacral spinal dysraphisms at the Neurosurgery Department of Zagazig University hospitals during the period from January 2017 to August 2018. All patients were investigated preoperatively, intraoperatively, and on follow-up by LUS to compare the data with preoperative and follow-up MRI of the spine.ResultsThe median age was 11\u2009months at the time of surgery. The most common anatomical description from the LUS study was thickened filum (18 cases). Using MRI findings as the standard reference, the sensitivity of LUS in detecting a thickened filum was 77.8% preoperatively and 62.5% postoperatively, with a specificity of 100%. The sensitivity and specificity of detecting conus level, solid masses, and cystic masses were 100%.ConclusionsLumbosacral spinal dysraphisms can be evaluated well by ultrasound imaging in age group up to 6\u2009years old with 100% specificity (true negative) in comparison with MRI.