Ultrasonic anatomy of the normal neonatal and infant spine correlation with cryomicrotome sections and CT

High resolution computed neurosonography now displays the details of the spinal canal, subarachnoid space, spinal cord and some emerging nerve roots in axial and sagittal planes. Those familiar with this anatomy may use sonography to detect spinal pathology. Since attention was first directed toward the feasibility and utility of spinal sonography, investigators have evaluated abnormalities of the caudal end of the spine and of higher levels with both articulated arm B-mode sonography and real-time sonography. Technical advances now permit real-time sonography to display even finer anatomic details with greater spatial resolution than was possible previously. This communication illustrates real-time sagittal and axial sonograms of the entire spine from the cranio-vertebral junction to the sacrum, correlates them with anatomic specimens and CT, and discusses relevant technical points