Assessment of a single lumbar spine radiograph in low back pain.
The lumbosacral spine radiographs of 200 patients with unexplained low back pain and without neurological signs were reviewed. The purpose of the study was to determine whether significant diagnostic information would be lost by replacing the standard three film series with a single radiograph, either in the lateral or antero-posterior projection. The contribution of the coned lumbosacral junction view was also assessed. The results show that a single lateral radiograph is diagnostically satisfactory and would have the added advantages of reducing patient radiation dose and radiographic workload.
Padley
S
S
Department of Radiology, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge.
Gleeson
F
F
Chisholm
R
R
Baldwin
J
J
D001416:Back Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011859:Radiography; D013128:Spinal Osteophytosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging