MR-GUIDED INJECTION OF FACET JOINTS - TECHNIQUE AND INITIAL RESULTS

In a clinical study, 5 patients with chronic low back pain were treate d by MR-guided facet injection of the motion segments L4/L5 and L5/S1. For the infiltration, special nonmagnetic needles were used. The inve stigations were carried out in an MR unit having a field strength of 1 .0 tesla. In all patients, MR visualisation of the facet joints and me asurement of the distance to the reference point was readily accomplis hed. Placement of the special MR needle, however, proved difficult in situations in which the needle had to be advanced through dense fibrou s tissue. Nevertheless, the needle was successfully placed at the firs t attempt in two patients; in all other patients a second attempt was necessary. The entire procedure took about 30 to 40 minutes per patien t. The needles were identified without any artefacts. All the patients were pain-free for at least 3 weeks after injection.