Elsevier

Clinical Radiology

Volume 36, Issue 2, January–November 1985, Pages 159-161
Clinical Radiology

Spina bifida occulta: Lesion or anomaly?

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0009-9260(85)80100-8Get rights and content

Failure of fusion of the posterior arches of the lumbosacral spine above S3 was sought on frontal radiographs of 653 patients attending an accident and emergency (A & E) department. The patients were aged from 2 months to 98 years and represent all those with relevant information discharged as A & E outpatients over a 2-year period. Presenting complaints of backache or enuresis and inadequate radiographs were excluded. Spina bifida occulta was diagnosed in 22% of the whole group. The incidence was much higher in those below the age of 40 years (29.2%) compared with those above (9.8%). The overall age-adjusted incidence was 17.3%. Our study is an attempt to judge the ‘off-the-street’ prevalence of spina bifida occulta. It supports the notion that spina bifida occulta is a common anomaly, of no clinical significance on its own.

References (20)

  • BrailsfordJ.F.

    The Radiology of Bones and Joints

  • BreckL.W. et al.

    Lumbosacral roentgenograms of 450 applicants for heavy work

    Annals of Surgery

    (1944)
  • CrowN.E. et al.

    The ‘normal’ lumbosacral spine

    Radiology

    (1959)
  • DittrichR.J.

    Roentgenologic aspects of spina bifida occulta

    American Journal of Roentgenology and Radium Therapy

    (1938)
  • EcksteinH.B.

    Neuropathic bladder

  • EpsteinB.S.

    The Spine: A Radiological Text-Atlas

  • FawcittJ.

    Some radiological aspects of congenital anomalies of the spine in childhood and infancy

  • FriedmanM.M. et al.

    Lumbosacral roentgenograms of one hundred soldiers

    American Journal of Roentgenology

    (1946)
  • GillespieH.W.

    The significance of congenital lumbosacral anomalies

    British Journal of Radiology

    (1949)
  • JamesC.C.M. et al.

    Spinal Dysraphism: Spina Bifida Occulta

    (1972)
There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (70)

  • Engineering alginate microparticles for optimized accumulation in fetal rat myelomeningocele

    2022, Journal of Pediatric Surgery
    Citation Excerpt :

    The spectrum of spina bifida spans from the most benign form, spina bifida occulta, an asymptomatic anomaly in which the neural elements are protected by skin and soft tissue, to open spina bifida, or myelomeningocele (MMC). In MMC, the most common form of spina bifida, the spinal cord and meninges are uncovered, conferring devastating complications. [1–3]. Much of the damage to the spine and hindbrain occurs in utero attributable to the prolonged exposure of the spinal cord to the chemical and physical trauma of the neurotoxic environment of the amnion; thus, clinical practice has shifted focus from postnatal to prenatal intervention [4–6].

  • The paleoepidemiology of Sacral Spina Bifida Occulta in population samples from the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt

    2019, International Journal of Paleopathology
    Citation Excerpt :

    Yet, two years later, in a study of 138 patients with urodynamic abnormalities, Fidas et al. (1989) found SSBO in 50% of their sample and noted that the abnormalities were especially stressed in these patients. Other studies argue that there are no clinical outcomes in individuals with SSBO (Nejat et al., 2008; Boone et al., 1985). Although SSBO is discussed in our major paleopathology texts (e.g., Aufderheide and Rodríguez-Martín, 1998; Roberts and Manchester, 2005; Ortner and Putschar, 1985), the clinical implications of the occult type are not discussed, implying that it is clinically insignificant.

  • Diagnostic Imaging: Spine

    2015, Diagnostic Imaging: Spine
  • Spinal dysraphisms in the parturient: Implications for perioperative anaesthetic care and labour analgesia

    2015, International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia
    Citation Excerpt :

    Neurological impairment, manifest as motor and sensory dysfunction, absent reflexes, sphincter dysfunction, hydrocephalus and Chiari II malformations were more common with higher lesions and those that were classified as “open” at birth.1 Isolated bony abnormalities commonly known as spina bifida occulta are much more common, with a reported incidence ranging from 1.2–50% depending on the definition used.15,16 The majority of these abnormalities are vertebral arch defects in the sacrum, with 80% occurring at S1, 10% at S1–2, 8.4% at L5 and 0.2% at L5–S1.

  • Ephedrine hydrochloride: Novel use in the management of resistant non-neurogenic daytime urinary incontinence in children

    2013, Journal of Pediatric Urology
    Citation Excerpt :

    Two of our patients had spina bifida occulta (SBO). SBO is a relatively common anomaly, it was identified in 22% of patients presenting to an accident and emergency department [22]. It has been implicated in the aetiology of voiding problems [23].

View all citing articles on Scopus
*

Medical students, Memorial University, St John's, Newfoundland.

Associate Specialist in Rheumatology, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge.

View full text