Dorsal dermal sinus

Case contributed by Ammar Haouimi
Diagnosis almost certain

Presentation

Posterior lower cervical dimple.

Patient Data

Age: 18 years
Gender: Female
mri

Dermal sinus tract extending from the skin surface to the cervical spinal cord at C7 level through a widened C6/7 interspinous space with stretched spinal cord posteriorly towards the dermal sinus tract. Associated small syrinx is noted.

Case Discussion

MRI features of a dorsal dermal sinus with associated small syrinx.

Dorsal dermal sinus is an epithelium-lined tract extending from the skin to the spinal cordcauda equina, or arachnoid as in a form of spinal dysraphism.

It results from incomplete separation of the superficial ectoderm from the neural ectoderm, resulting in focal segmental adhesion.

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