Private Baby Spine Ultrasound

The most common reason is that a sacral dimple, a small dent in the skin at the very bottom of your baby’s back, near the top of the bottom crease, has been noticed at a newborn check. A spine ultrasound is also recommended when there is another skin marker over the lower spine, such as a hairy patch, a skin tag, a small swelling or a birthmark.

These markers are checked because, in a small number of babies, they can sit over a difference in how the lower spine has formed, as with tethered spinal cord or spina bifida occulta for example. The scan is a quick, gentle way to look beneath the skin and give you a clear answer.

Please remember that the great majority of dimples and skin markers are completely harmless, and scans are there for reassurance.

The ultrasound looks closely at the lower (lumbosacral) part of your baby’s spine. In particular, your sonographer checks:

• The position and movement of the spinal cord, and where it ends.
• Signs of a tethered spinal cord, where the cord is held lower than it should be.
• The filum terminale, the thin band at the end of the cord.
• The bony arches of the lower spine, looking for spina bifida occulta.
• Whether a sacral dimple connects to anything deeper, or is a simple skin dimple.
• The fluid around the spinal cord.

Ultrasound is the gold-standard test for checking a baby’s spinal cord in the early weeks, and it can clearly show whether the cord is sitting and moving normally.

A baby spine ultrasound uses safe, painless sound waves, with no radiation, no needles and no injection of any kind. Your sonographer warms a little clear gel and gently moves a small smooth probe over your baby’s lower back while the images appear on a screen.

In the first weeks of life the bones at the back of the spine have not fully hardened (ossified), so sound waves can pass straight through and give a beautifully clear view of the spinal cord underneath. This is exactly why the scan works so well at this young age.

The whole examination is quiet and gentle, and most babies stay calm or sleep through it.

A baby spine ultrasound is best performed in the first few weeks of life, ideally within the first three months and the sooner the better. This is because the bones at the back of the spine are still soft and have not yet fully hardened, which gives the clearest possible window onto the spinal cord.

As your baby grows, these bones gradually ossify and start to block the sound waves, making the cord harder to see. If your baby is older than around six months, the scan may still be attempted, but an MRI is sometimes recommended instead. Your specialist will advise on the best course of action.

If a sacral dimple or skin marker has been noticed, simply book as soon as is convenient and we will look after the rest.

The appointment is short, calm and led by a specialist senior sonographer who is experienced with newborns. Please feel free to ask any questions, your baby’s comfort and your peace of mind are our number one priority.

Here is how it usually goes:

• Your baby is gently laid on their front or side, with the lower back exposed. You can stay close throughout and help keep them settled.
• Warm gel is applied and the sonographer moves the probe over the lower back. It is completely painless; most babies stay calm or sleep through it.

A content, sleepy baby scans best, so it often helps to feed your baby shortly before or during the appointment. You are welcome to feed and soothe at any time.

Your sonographer will explain what they can see on the screen as they go, so by the end of the visit you will already have a clear picture of what was found.

There is very little to do, and no special preparation is needed for a baby spine ultrasound. The single most helpful thing is to have a calm, comfortable baby, so try to time the appointment around a feed and bring everything you would normally need to settle them.

A few simple tips:

• Bring a feed (bottle or plan to breastfeed), as a content baby scans more easily.
• Dress your baby in something easy to remove around the lower back.
• Pack a spare nappy, a muslin and a favourite comforter or dummy.

Your baby does not need to fast, and there is no need to keep them awake or asleep. We simply work around your baby on the day.

Yes, a baby spine ultrasound is extremely safe and completely painless. It uses sound waves only, with no radiation, no needles and no injections. This is the same technology used to scan babies safely before they are born, and it can be repeated as often as needed without any risk.

Your baby may feel a little cool gel and the gentle movement of the probe on their back. There are no side effects and nothing to recover from. yYou can feed, cuddle and carry on with your day exactly as normal the moment the scan is finished.

You shouldn’t have to wait for important answers about your baby’s health. That’s why, at the Harley Street Ultrasound Group, we give you same-day results.

Your specialist senior sonographer will talk you through what they can see during the scan itself, so you leave the room with an understanding of your child's findings. Your full medical report with tailored advice and any recommended next steps will be ready the same day, along with high-resolution digital images of the scan.

You can view and share both the report and the images securely from any internet-connected device, including your phone, and forward them directly to your GP, health visitor or a paediatric specialist.

In the great majority of cases the scan is reassuring and no further action is needed.

If the scan does pick up something that needs a closer look, such as a possible tethered spinal cord, we will outline a clear, calm path forward. Your specialist will explain the finding in plain language and make sure you understand its meaning.

The usual next step is a referral to a paediatric specialist or neurosurgery team, often with an MRI to confirm the picture. Your report and images can be shared securely with the team of your choice or with your NHS paediatrician, so nothing has to be repeated and no time is lost.

Yes, the vast majority of sacral dimples are completely harmless and need no treatment at all. They are very common in newborns and are simply a small variation in how the skin formed.

A dimple is generally reassuring when it is small, shallow, sits close to the bottom crease and you can see the bottom of it. Doctors tend to recommend a scan when a dimple is large or deep, sits higher up the back, comes with another skin marker such as a hairy patch or swelling, or its base cannot be seen.

Even when a scan is recommended, it is almost always done for reassurance, and in most babies it confirms that everything is exactly as it should be.

A Private Baby Spine Ultrasound at the Harley Street Ultrasound Group is £350, all fees inclusive.

What’s included in the price:

• One-to-one appointment with a specialist senior sonographer experienced with newborns.
• Gentle ultrasound of the lower spine and spinal cord.
• Detailed written medical report with tailored advice.
• Same-day high-resolution digital images delivered to your secure portal.
• No referral required and no waiting list, most families are seen within 24 to 48 hours.

We accept self-pay and most major UK private health insurers. If you have insurance, please contact your provider before booking to confirm your policy covers treatment. Our team is happy to provide any clinical or pricing details they need.

Many parents worry that coming to us privately will somehow affect their baby’s NHS care. That simply is not the case.

Our goal is to give you answers as quickly as possible and get your baby on the right path fast. When you come to us, your baby is seen by a qualified specialist who can check the lower spine the same day. If your baby’s situation needs further attention, our specialist will write to your NHS GP or paediatrician, and your report and images can be shared securely with any NHS team.

We don’t want you to wait weeks for answers. Every moment counts when it comes to your baby’s health and your peace of mind.