Tidsskrift for den Norske lægeforening : tidsskrift for praktisk medicin, ny række
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Discography means imaging of the intervertebral discs by intradiscal contrast injections. Discography with a combined CT/discography allows a more detailed classification of annular disruption and degeneration. Combined with a pain response registration, discography can be of value in the diagnosis of chronic low back pain with signs of sciatica in cases where other x-ray modalities have failed to explain the source of pain. Among 20 discography examinations there was a correlation between radicular symptoms and annular disruption with contrast leakage to the epidural space, and disc protrusion on CT scanning.
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Chronic low back pain is lumbar-sciatic pain of more than 3 months duration. It is necessary to classify back conditions into conditions with and without nerve root affection. ⋯ Symptoms and signs, x-ray investigations, and laboratory data are dealt with in the structural and focal etiology of the pain. The relationship between psycho-social factors and low back pain is discussed.