title: Outpatient low-dose computed tomography metrizamide myelography and evaluation of lumbar disk disease.
abstract: Outpatient low-dose computed tomography metrizamide myelography (CTMM) for the evaluation of lumbar disk disease is described in 55 patients. Ten individuals (group 1) were studied using 3.5 ml of 150 mg I/ml (525 mg I total) of metrizamide. Forty-five additional patients (group 2) were examined with 5 ml of 110 mg I/ml (550 mg I total) concentration of metrizamide. Group 2 experienced less post-procedure headache (6.6%) and nausea (2.2%) than did group 1 (30% and 10%, respectively). Group 2 demonstrated a lowered rate of headache (p less than .01) and showed a trend to less nausea (p less than .09) than a recently published study describing full-dose lumbar myelography. In addition, CTMM in group 2 produced more uniform mixing of metrizamide than in group 1. Overall, low-dose CTMM increased accuracy and reduced morbidity, patient cost, and inconvenience as compared with routine full-dose lumbar myelography.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008793:Metrizamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D009192:Myelography; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D008793:Metrizamide