Computed tomography of sacral and presacral lesions

Abstract

Forty-two patients with various sacral and presacral lesions were examined by computed tomography (CT). CT was sensitive in detecting intraosseous neoplasms and presacral soft tissue masses and in seven cases identified lesions not visible on plain films. The total extent of each lesion was readily determined using CT. However, CT is diagnostically nonspecific and differentiation between primary and secondary tumors of the sacrum in generally not possible from the CT appearance alone. CT is also of considerable use in the evaluation of several non-neoplastic conditions of the sacrum, including spinal dysraphism, anterior and internal meningocele and trauma.