When Is a Baby's Low-Back Finding Low Risk?

Spinal imaging might not be necessary for many infants with lumbosacral and gluteal skin findings.

When an infant is born with skin lesions or abnormalities of the lower back or gluteal cleft, the possibility of an association with spinal malformations, such as tethered cord syndrome, often prompts pediatricians to recommend spinal imaging. Researchers in Israel prospectively examined the role of ultrasound (US) in 254 infants younger than 6 months with midline skin stigmata (MSS) who had been referred for spinal imaging or neurosurgical consultation by primary care physicians. All infants underwent spinal US; 50 infants also underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

The most common MSS lesions were “simple dimple” (125 infants), defined as a soft tissue depression ≤25 mm above the anus (regardless of size or depth), and deviated glutea…

Reviewing Author

Cornelius W. Van Niel, MD

Disclosures

EquityMedtronic; Express Scripts; Johnson & Johnson; Merck

Cornelius W. Van Niel, MD

Disclosures

EquityMedtronic; Express Scripts; Johnson & Johnson; Merck