The presacral space is composed of multiple tissue types, including osteochondral, mesenchymal, neurogenic, vascular and lymphatic. The presence of these tissues leads to a long and complex differential for a presacral mass in a pediatric patient. Specifically, the differential also includes anterior sacral meningocele, enteric cyst, vascular malformations, neuroblastoma, ganglioneuroma, schwannoma, neurofibroma, rhabdomyosarcoma, lymphomatous masses, giant cell tumor, aneurysmal bone cyst, osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, and chordoma. Imaging plays a key role in characterizing these masses and treatment planning. Familiarity with the common presacral masses of infancy and childhood is therefore necessary for the pediatric and general radiologist. Once an osteochondral or neurogenic mass is excluded, and a predominantly cystic presacral mass is present, the primary differential consists of a collection of developmental or congenital masses including sacrococcygeal teratoma, anterior meningocele, low flow vascular malformation, and an enteric duplication cyst. We will review the common imaging features and associations of these cystic masses by presenting a series of cases. Additional examples of solid and osteochondral presacral masses will be included where appropriate for comparison in order to avoid characterization pitfalls and highlight teaching points. Read More

Meeting name: SPR 2019 Annual Meeting & Postgraduate Course , 2019

Authors: Murphy Ryan, Murati Michael, Holm Tara, Dietz Kelly

Keywords: anterior meningocele, low flow vascular malformation, enteric cyst