We need to understand how a lumbar vertebra is built. We have the body (1A), thepedicles (1B), the transverse processes (1C), the articular processes (1D), thelaminae (1E) and the spinous process (1F).
The first is sagittal or parasagittal. The probe moving outward from the midlinein the sagittal orientation. The spinous processes (2A), the laminae (2B), the articular processes (2C), the transverse processes (2D).
The other orientation is transverse here. We see a faint shadow of the spinous processand the laminae in cross as well as the articular processes, depending on the depthand level, you're at you may or may not see the transverse processes extendinglaterally(3A、3C). This view has a characteristic shape reminiscent of the face ofa bat with articular processes as ears and the posterior complex as the top of itshead (3B). Dark circle in the center, that's the spinal canal.Superficial to it iswhat we call the posterior complex. Deep to that is the anterior complex. And ofcourse,the space between them is the thecal sac and its contents (3D).
Here’s a typical scanning sequence for ultrasound assisted neuraxial procedures. We started the sacrum in the parasagittal orientation with that slight medial tilt. The broad shelf of bone is the sacrum (A). Heading north. We see a break in the bonyline.This is the first interlaminar space of L5-S1 (B). We see the L5 lamina and thenthe L4-5 interlaminar space (C),and then the L4 lamina and the L3/4 space and soon (D) .
Once we find the space we want,we center the gap and then using a skin marker fromthe center of the ultrasound probe. Make a horizontal line corresponding to the innerspace(A) . We then turn the probe 90 degrees and search for the bat sign. Trying tostay close to our original horizontal line. Once we center the midline, we draw avertical line from the probe upward (B) . At this point, we can freeze the image anduse the electronic calipers to measure the distance from the posterior complex tothe surface. This gives us an approximation of how deep we can expect to find eitherthe epidural or the subarachnoid space (C) . The two lines we've drawn give us thecross hairs to begin our needle insertion and we know the depth from our measurement. So we're all set up for success.
In some challenging cases, it does make sense to visualize that small acoustic windowand advance a needle in real time. Here we see the sacrum and the L5 lamina withan acoustic window through the posterior complex. A needle is advanced in plane fromcaudate to cephalad aiming for the complex(blue arrow). If bony contact is made, a slight redirection cephalad usually allows a needle to slide home.