title: Congenital malformations of the brain and spine.
abstract: In this chapter we briefly address the most common congenital brain and spinal anomalies as well as their most salient imaging, especially magnetic resonance, findings. Some of them, such as Chiari II, and open spinal defects, have become relatively rare due to their detection in utero and repair of the spinal malformation. Regardless of the type of brain anomaly, the most common clinical symptoms are mental retardation, hydrocephalus, and seizure; the latter two may need to be surgically and medically addressed. The most commonly found spinal congenital anomalies include the filum terminale lipoma which is generally asymptomatic and incidental and the caudal regression syndrome for which no primary treatment exists. Any spinal congenital anomaly may present in adulthood as a consequence of spinal cord tethering and/or development of syringomyelia.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Prashant
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shankar
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zamora
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA. Electronic address: Castillo@med.unc.edu.
authors.forename: Mauricio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castillo
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D009421:Nervous System Malformations / Q000473:pathology*; D013131:Spine / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Chiari malformations; Dandy–Walker malformations; caudal regression syndrome; closed neural tube defects; congenital brain anomalies; congenital spine anomalies; hydrocephalus; neuronal migration anomalies; open neural tube defects; spinal lipoma