Prenatal ultrasound diagnosis of open spinal dysraphism in the cervical verterbrae. Case report

Spinal dysraphisms are lesions that can be identified at ultrasound screening examination from the second trimester of pregnancy, the majority being localized in the lumbosacral region. We present the case of prenatal ultrasound diagnosis of a 18 weeks fetus with cervical open dysraphism, a rare localization of open spinal dysraphisms. The alteration of cerebral normal anatomy was first identified; further examination showed the spinal defect with cervical location associated with a posterior cystic mass, the meningomyelocele.