title: The use of magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of postoperative lumbar conditions.
abstract: Magnetic resonance imaging is a new diagnostic procedure which may be applied to diseases of the lumbar spine and its contents. The technique is non-invasive and does not use ionizing radiation; it also has better contrast resolution than do other methods that are available. This article explores the application of the technique to postoperative conditions of the lumbar spine in relation to problems such as discitis, residual disc material, fibrosis, the size of the surrounding fatty tissue, and the shape of the neural contents.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis*