CT of lumbar spine disk herniation: correlation with surgical findings

Computed tomography (CT) of the lumbar spine was performed with selectively positioned 5-mm-thick axial cross sections to examine each disk level from the top of the neural foramen to the pedicle of the next caudad vertebra. One hundred consecutive patients with 116 surgical disk explorations were r...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inAmerican journal of neuroradiology : AJNR Vol. 5; no. 1; pp. 91 - 96
Main Authors FIROOZNIA, H, BENJAMIN, V, KRICHEFF, I. I, RAFII, M, GOLIMBU, C
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Oak Brook, IL American Society of Neuroradiology 1984
Subjects
Biological and medical sciences
Diseases of the osteoarticular system
Diseases of the spine
Medical sciences
Hernia
Disease of the spine
Lumbar spine
Radiodiagnosis
Surgery
Diseases of the osteoarticular system
Computerized axial tomography
Osteoarthritis
Intervertebral disk
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:Computed tomography (CT) of the lumbar spine was performed with selectively positioned 5-mm-thick axial cross sections to examine each disk level from the top of the neural foramen to the pedicle of the next caudad vertebra. One hundred consecutive patients with 116 surgical disk explorations were reviewed. There was agreement between the CT and surgical findings in 89 patients (104 explorations) in determination of presence or absence of a herniated nucleus pulposus (HNP). Discrepancy occurred in 12 instances (11 patients): two because of incorrect interpretations, five in previously operated patients, three in spondylolisthesis, and two in spinal stenosis. There were 97 true-positives, eight false-negatives, seven true-negatives, and four false-positives. If nine previously operated patients are excluded from the study, then CT was accurate in detection of presence or absence of an HNP in 93% of the disk explorations.
ISSN:0195-6108
1936-959X