title: Ultrasonographic clues for diagnosis of spina bifida occulta in children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the current study was to find out if spinal ultrasonography might have a predictive potential for detection of spina bifida occulta (SBO) in pediatric nocturnal enuresis patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 108 children (58 females, 50 males) with a mean age of 8 (range, 6-15) years diagnosed for nocturnal enuresis in our tertiary care center were included in this cross-sectional analysis. Half of the cases (n=54, 50%) were found to have SBO, while the other half did not have SBO. After obtaining radiographs and computed tomography examinations of L5-S1 vertebra, patients were examined by spinal ultrasound regarding radiologic clues which may aid in the detection of SBO.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The clues of "single and double echogeneous cap signs and the V-shaped tip of spine" were found useful for diagnosing SBO at levels of L5 and S1 in pediatric patients suspected for SBO. Receiver operating curve (ROC) curve analysis of CT and ultrasonographic clues for diagnosis of SBO on S1 level revealed that these clues yielded a comparable diagnostic accuracy to CT. Areas under curve for CT and studied ultrasonographic clues were are 0.667±0.053 and 0.907±0.032 (P<0.001) respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ultrasonography seems to be a useful and practical diagnostic tool for diagnosing spina bifida. However, to implement our ultrasonographic criteria in routine radiological practice, further studies in larger series are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Dr. Sami Ulus Children's Health and Diseases Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Emin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cakmakci
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Dr. Sami Ulus Children's Health and Diseases Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hasibe Gokce
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Cinar
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Dr. Sami Ulus Children's Health and Diseases Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cigdem
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Uner
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Dr. Sami Ulus Children's Health and Diseases Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Berna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ucan
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Dr. Sami Ulus Children's Health and Diseases Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ayse Secil
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Eksioglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Dr. Sami Ulus Children's Health and Diseases Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Melek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pala
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Dr. Sami Ulus Children's Health and Diseases Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yasemin Tasci
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Yildiz
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Hematology & Oncology, Dr. Abdurrahman Yurtaslan Ankara Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Selma
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cakmakci
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Dr. Sami Ulus Children's Health and Diseases Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hulya Seker
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Yikmaz
keywords: Enuresis nocturna; diagnosis; spina bifida occulta (SBO); ultrasonography