title: Syndrome of the incidental herniated lumbar disc.
abstract: Lumbar myelographic defects consistent with herniated disc were found in 108 asymptomatic patients undergoing myelography for other reasons. Within 3 years, 64% of these patients developed symptoms of lumbosacral radiculopathy. The clinical features of these patients comprise a syndrome significantly different from that typically associated with classical lumbar disc herniation: the syndrome described here carries a much higher incidence of silent root compression with minimal pain. Incidental lumbar myelographic defects are not necessarily benign findings, and patients in whom they are encountered deserve close clinical follow-up review and appropriate treatment if the defects become symptomatic.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009192:Myelography; D009408:Nerve Compression Syndromes / Q000150:complications; D010146:Pain / Q000150:complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots; D013577:Syndrome