VALUE OF VARIOUS IMAGING TECHNIQUES IN LU MBAR DISC DISEASE

As a seeming law of nature the possibility of making use of various mu ltiplanar sectional imaging techniques is accompanied by diagnostic ex aggeration. Simple and cost effective procedures with low radiation do sage such as plain x-rays of the spine are being thrust into the backg round. Not seldom are patients referred to the spine surgeon with MRI or Cat scan at hand but lacking standard radiographs. As far as the as sessment of intervertebral disc disease is concerned the combination o f plain X-rays of the spine and computed tomography of the level in qu estion turned out to be sufficient for indication of the operation in more than 90% of 450 patients after nucleotomie at the Orthopedic Univ ersity Clinic Mainz. To our mind MRI should be restricted to cases in whom disc surgery had failed to relieve sciatica. Here it allows to di stinguish between a recurrent HNP and postoperative scar tissue. In ou r patients myelography, an invasive procedure, has its role only in em ergency diagnostics, and in the dynamic-functional examination.