title: Accuracy of ultrasonic evaluation of lumbar intervertebral discs by an anterior approach.
abstract: The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of sonography of the lower lumbar intervertebral discs. The results in 50 patients were compared to lumbar myelography. A short description of the sonographic appearance of the normal and pathological lumbar disc is given. The sonographic examination was inconclusive in 18% of the patients because of obesity, meteorism or diminution of the intervertebral disc space. In nearly half of these patients a herniation was found at myelography and confirmed at surgery. The study revealed a sensitivity varying from 0.63 to 0.77. Compared to lumbar myelography and CT scanning we find this too low to support its addition in lumbar disc disease because of non-invasiveness or lack of radiation alone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroradiology, University of Hospital Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Merx
authors.forename: H O
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Thijssen
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014463:Ultrasonography