title: The stress lumbar discogram.
abstract: Stress discography is that done during the time in which the subject's pain is present at a significant level of intensity. This prospective study examines the findings in 200 patients who were evaluated for low-back pain. A standardized injection technique was used and the contrast pattern within the disc was studied radiographically and with CT scanning. Pain response was recorded. Familiar low-back pain was reproduced in all cases, and familiar leg pain in 46% of cases. Of 549 discs studied, 319 reproduced familiar pain, an average of 1.6 discs per patient. Pain reproduction occurred in 69% of the L5 discs, 62% of the L4 discs, and 25% of the L3 discs. Internal disc disruption was present in 302 discs, but extruded annular material was found in only 19. Stress discography is a useful diagnostic study in evaluating patients with low-back pain.
authors.affiliation: Tupelo Pain Clinic, Mississippi.
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: McFadden
mesh_terms: D001416:Back Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D005471:Fluoroscopy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods