Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Tuen Mun Hospital, Tsing Chung Koon Road, Tuen Mun, N.T., Hong Kong, China
ACW Lee ( 李志偉 ) FHKAM(Paed)
NS Kwong ( 鄺毅山 ) FHKAM(Paed)
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Tuen Mun Hospital, Tsing Chung Koon Road, Tuen Mun, N.T., Hong Kong, China
YC Wong ( 黃耀忠 ) FHKAM(Rad)
Correspondence to: Dr ACW Lee*
*Consultant Paediatric Haematologist-Oncologist, Parkway Children's Haematology & Cancer Centre, East Shore Hospital, 321 Joo Chiat Place, Singapore 427990
Received September 11, 2006
Isolated sacral dimples are a common occurrence in Caucasian newborns and there has been a concern about their association with occult spinal dysraphism. A retrospective study was carried out in which infants born in a regional hospital during the year 2003 with a diagnosis of sacral dimple were examined. Twenty-six infants (0.5%) were identified from 5,440 live births. There was a female predominance (61.5%) and all infants were born at term. A tuft of hair close to the dimple was described in 6 babies, but none had any neurological deficit. Only 4 infants underwent ultrasonography or magnetic resonance imaging. No abnormality was detected. None of the 16 children who had been followed up (median 25.7 months) had any neurological deficit. A review of the current literature strongly indicates that isolated sacral dimples are innocuous and imaging study for occult spinal dysraphism is not indicated. A diagnostic strategy on the selective use of ultrasonography as a screening examination in atypical cases is proposed.
