Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol 19, Issue 3 207-209, Copyright © 2000 by American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
Sonographic appearance of the ventriculus terminalis cyst in the neonatal spinal cord
V. M. Kriss, T. C. Kriss and R. C. Coleman
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington 40536-0084, USA.
The ventriculus terminalis or "fifth ventricle" is an ependyma-lined
residual lumen of the caudal portion of the spinal cord (the conus
medullaris). We present the cases of three neonates with asymptomatic
cystic dilatation of the ventriculus terminalis as seen on spinal
sonography. Over a 4 year period (1996-1999), we prospectively found three
cases in which spinal sonograms demonstrated cystic dilatation of the
ventriculus terminalis of the conus medullaris in normal term neonates.
Sonograms of the lumbosacral spine of two of the infants demonstrated
cystic dilatation of the ventriculus terminalis of the conus medullaris.
The third infant had cystic dilatation at the distal tip of the conus
medullaris at the origin of the filum terminale. No other abnormalities
were noted. The three infants have remained asymptomatic during clinical
follow-up periods of up to 3 years. Cystic dilatation of the ventriculus
terminalis is an unusual but normal anatomic variant of the conus
medullaris that can be visualized on spinal sonograms in neonates.
