Orthopaedic Surgery Questions Discogram (Discography)

What is a discogram?

I'm 30 years old, and I have had back pain for years. My doctor suggested to try a discogram to evaluate my spine. How does a discogram work?

3 Answers

No, a lot of false positives; get an MRI first, then an epidural.
Discogram is an imaging technique of the spine to identify painful discs. Its value is today controversial, as many surgeons currently prefer MRI as initial imaging modality of the spine.

Best regards,

NF
Fluid is injected into the disc to test the integrity of the disc. Analogy would be like filling a water balloon up with more water to test for leaks. In general, these tests are risky and are not routinely used due to multiple complications.