title: Spinal cord stimulation: the types of neurostimulation devices currently being used, and what radiologists need to know when evaluating their appearance on imaging.
abstract: Neural stimulation is increasingly used as a treatment for chronic pain. Common indications for spinal cord stimulation include chronic neuropathic and oncological pain, intractable angina, or chronic pain secondary to vascular disease. It is estimated that up to 4 million patients may be candidates for the therapy. Therefore, it is likely that an increasing number of patients will have spinal neurostimulation devices implanted over the coming years. Because radiography and computed tomography are the primary imaging modalities used to evaluate the proper positioning of these devices, radiologists should be familiar with their appearance. The purpose of this article is to discuss the types of neurostimulation devices currently being used and to demonstrate their respective imaging appearances.
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA. vkalia1@jhmi.edu
authors.forename: Vivek
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kalia
authors.forename: Cary
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bizzell
authors.forename: Rick
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Obray
authors.forename: Jon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Obray
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lamer
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Carrino
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D006801:Humans; D059408:Pain Management; D015641:Radiography, Interventional; D013116:Spinal Cord; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed