title: Prevalence and patterns of spina bifida occulta in 2707 normal adults.
abstract: Plain radiographs of the urinary tract on 2707 normal volunteers were reviewed to establish the prevalence and patterns of spina bifida occulta in the normal population. Abnormalities in the formation of the posterior arch were identified in 23%, and four different patterns are described. In this group of subjects the condition was twice as common in males as in females (P less than 0.001) and commoner in younger adults. The commonest defects were either in S1 alone or involved S1 and S2 together. Isolated defects at L5 or S2 were rare. The level of opening of the posterior sacral arcs was assessed and a high level of opening was shown to correlate with the presence of spina bifida occulta.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Surgery and Urology, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fidas
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: MacDonald
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Elton
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Wild
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Chisholm
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Scott
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012447:Sacrum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012737:Sex Factors; D016136:Spina Bifida Occulta / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*