CT-DISKOGRAPHY IN PATIENTS WITH SCIATICA - COMPARISON WITH PLAIN CT AND MR-IMAGING

Aims: The findings at CT-diskography (CT-D), including recording of th e pain introduced at contrast injection, were compared with plain CT a nd MR imaging in ill disks in 101 patients aged 18 to 68 years. Result s: Six disks which were normal at CT had normal CT-D and 5 of them had normal signal on MR imaging. The degree of annular degeneration and t he depth of the annular tears were significantly associated with each other and with loss of disk height, but not with size or location of t he hernias. Only the depth of the tears was significantly associated w ith loss of signal on MR. However, frequently complete annular tears a nd severe annular degeneration were seen in association with small bul ges and hernias, even in disks with normal or slightly reduced signal on MR and with normal height. The type and intensity of the pain intro duced were associated with each other and with the depth of the annula r tears, but not with the degree of annular degeneration, size of the hernia or the MR signal intensity of the disks. Conclusions. Annular d egeneration and tears on one hand, and the type and intensity of pain introduced on the other, seem to be related rather than separate pheno mena.