Lumbar cutaneous hemangiomas as indicators of tethered spinal cords.

Children with cutaneous hemangiomas in the lumbar region often also have tethered spinal cords. This diagnosis can be overlooked, because children with cutaneous hemangiomas may be otherwise asymptomatic and neurologically normal. From 1983 to 1987, six consecutive children with lumbar cutaneous hemangiomas underwent magnetic resonance imaging, and a seventh had a myelogram. In all seven children, despite their normal neurologic status, tethered spinal cords were diagnosed. All children had operations, which confirmed this finding. None had postoperative neurologic deficits. Infants and children with similar lumbar cutaneous hemangiomas should have magnetic resonance scans to detect the presence of tethered spinal cords.