Dural ectasia in the Marfan syndrome: MR and CT findings and criteria.
OBJECTIVE
To create criteria for detecting dural ectasia on MR or CT images in adult Marfan patients.


METHODS
Images were analyzed using a workstation. Parameters that predicted dural ectasia were included in our criteria.


RESULTS
Major criteria include: (1) width of dural sac below L5 > width above L4; (2) anterior sacral meningocele. Minor criteria include: (1) L5 nerve root sleeve diameter > 6.5 mm and (2) S1 scalloping > 3.5. Dural ectasia exists if 1 major or 2 minor criteria are present.


CONCLUSIONS
MR and CT diagnose dural ectasia with high specificity and sensitivity. Our criteria accurately diagnose dural ectasia in adult Marfan patients.
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
N U
NU
Ahn
P D
PD
Sponseller
U M
UM
Ahn
L
L
Nallamshetty
P S
PS
Rose
J M
JM
Buchowski
E S
ES
Garrett
B S
BS
Kuszyk
E K
EK
Fishman
S J
SJ
Zinreich
D000328:Adult; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic; D004388:Dura Mater / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008382:Marfan Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed