This presentation will discuss:

· Spinal development and assessment with ultrasound
· Spina bifida, open and closed
· Spinal changes seen with malformations and syndromes.
· Spinal changes seen with skeletal dysplasias

Ultrasonographic spinal assessment can start as early as the late first trimester.
Open spina bifida is the most common spinal abnormality but the spinal lesion is often undetected even with obvious cranial signs. Closed spina bifida has various manifestations that can be recognized prenatally. Apart from closure abnormalities, the spine is involved with several malformations such as caudal regression, VACTERL and OEIS. Spinal abnormality can be a diagnostic key in several skeletal dysplasias such as thanatophoric dysplasia and others.