The conus medullaris ratio: A new way to identify tethered cord on MRI

摘要

Purpose: Approximately 25% of patients with anorectal malformation have tethered cord. The traditional way of determining conus medullaris level on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) relies on counting vertebrae, which may be challenging due to vertebral numeric variation, segmentation anomalies, aswell as transitional vertebral body anatomy. The purpose of this study was to utilize more reliable anatomic landmarks (foramen magnum, conus termination, and the upper limit of the iliac crest) to establish a consistent ratio that may differentiate patients with normal and low-lying conus.