Sonographic evaluation of caudal spine anomalies in children.

Retrospective analysis of B-mode spinal sonography in 15 pediatric patients with spinal dysraphism and caudal anomalies documents a high degree of accuracy in identifying the presence, site, size, and configuration of meningoceles; and slightly less accuracy in identifying extension of neural tissue into the meningocele and presence of concurrent lipoma. B-mode sonography is capable of displaying spinal anatomy clearly enough to permit accurate retrospective interpretation of pathologic changes. When radiologists learn to interpret sonographic images well enough to achieve equal accuracy in prospective diagnosis, then B-mode spinal sonography will supplant computed tomography and myelography as the preferred screening procedure in the initial evaluation of children with selected anomalies of the caudal spine.