Congenital spinal and cord lesions in children and computed tomographic metrizamide myelography.

Computed tomographic metrizamide myelography (CTMM) has developed into a highly sophisticated and accurate neuroradiologic technique in the diagnosis of childhood spinal dysrhaptic states. Of the 84 patients studied by this technique, 31 with the dysrhaphic spine also had lesions such as a tethered and low conus, diastematomyelia, or neuroenteric cysts. We believe that the exquisite pathologic anatomy obtained by CTMM obviates all neuroradiologic techniques other than a preliminary anteroposterior and lateral spinal roentgenograph.