Presentation
Mid-dorsal cystic swelling not covered by skin.
Patient Data
Dorsal dermal sinus tract extends from the skin surface to the dorsal spinal cord via the widened D4/5 interspinous space, the dorsal spinal cord opposite D4 shows posterior distortion with posterior tenting of the dura. An associated superficial cystic lesion is noted likely epidermoid cyst.
Multiple flow artifacts are noted at the posterior subarachnoid space.
No evidence of spinal dysraphism.
Case Discussion
Spinal dorsal dermal sinus is a rare entity, which usually comes to clinical attention by cutaneous abnormalities, neurologic deficit, and/or infection.
Spinal dorsal dermal sinus tract (DST) is a rare congenital dysraphism that occurs in approximately one in every 2500 live births. It includes a tract lined by epithelium, which traverses for a variable depth into the underlying structures and in many instances, terminates within the thecal sac.
Special thanks to Dr Mohamed Kiaty, Kasr Al Ainy Hospital, Egypt.