8th Baltic Congress of Radiology

08.10.2022 Tallinn, Estonia

Infant spinal ultrasound in the MRI era

Stephanie Ryan (Ireland)

Paediatric Radiologist, Temple Street Children’s Hospital

Biography: Prof. Stephanie Ryan was a Paediatric Radiologist at Temple Street Children’s Hospital and at the Neonatal Department of the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin for nearly 25 years. Stephanie did Fellowships in Paediatric Radiology in Seattle, Washington and in Interventional Radiology in the Mayo Clinic, USA. She has written several papers and book chapters on paediatric imaging and has written a textbook on imaging anatomy, now in its third edition, in several languages and popular with radiology trainees around the world. She has a special interest in neonatal radiology, neuroradiology and in the imaging of metabolic disorders. Stephanie is an enthusiastic teacher and mentor of several generations of paediatric radiologists, paediatricians and anyone interested in learning paediatric radiology.

Presentation

Small Hall

Synopsis: The spinal cord is at least partly visible by ultrasound in children of any age. By far the best view and the most information are however achieved when ultrasound scanning is done before the posterior elements of the vertebra ossify. Ultrasound scanning is most useful, therefore, in the neonate in the first few weeks of life. The technique uses no radiation, can be done at the bedside without sedation and allows good visualization of the spinal cord and associated structures. MRI scanning of the spinal cord remains the gold standard for evaluation of spinal dysraphism and other spinal cord abnormalities. It has superior resolution than ultrasound and, like ultrasound, does not use radiation. This presentation will address the relative roles of spinal ultrasound and spinal cord MRI in infants and children. The presentation will present the technique of spinal ultrasound, normal and abnormal findings and correlation of ultrasound and MRI findings. It will review the literature on diagnosis and management of management of spinal dysraphism and it will address questions such as – Why do any imaging in an asymptomatic child? Why not do an MRI?

This agenda item is presented in the following session: S3-2 Pediatric Radiology

Plenary session

07.10.2022 14:00 - 15:30