Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Multiplex Therapeutic Drug Monitoring by Isotope-dilution HPLC-MS/MS of Antibiotics in Critical Illnesses
11:17

Multiplex Therapeutic Drug Monitoring by Isotope-dilution HPLC-MS/MS of Antibiotics in Critical Illnesses

Published on: August 30, 2018

Diskography: infectious complications from a series of 12,634 cases

R S Pobiel1, K P Schellhas, S R Pollei

  • 1Center for Diagnostic Imaging, St. Louis Park, MN 55416, USA. rpobiel@cdirad.com

AJNR. American Journal of Neuroradiology
|October 13, 2006
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Diskography is a safe procedure for diagnosing diskogenic pain. This study found a very low incidence of diskitis (infection) following diskography, highlighting the importance of experienced practitioners and proper technique.

Area of Science:

  • Spine imaging and interventional radiology
  • Infectious disease complications in procedures

Background:

  • Diskography is a common diagnostic tool for diskogenic pain.
  • Diskitis is a rare but serious complication of diskography.
  • Understanding infection rates is crucial for patient safety.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the incidence of diskitis and infectious complications after diskography.
  • To identify technical factors influencing infection prevention.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of 12,634 diskograms over 12.25 years.
  • Analysis of procedure-related infections in an outpatient setting.
  • Data collected by experienced radiologists in specialized suites.

Main Results:

  • Two cases of lumbar diskitis were identified out of 37,135 disk levels.
  • No cervical or thoracic diskitis occurred.
  • The overall incidence of diskitis was 0.016% per examination and 0.0054% per disk level.

Conclusions:

  • Diskography is a safe outpatient procedure when performed by experienced physicians.
  • Proper technique significantly minimizes the risk of diskitis and infection.
  • The incidence of diskitis following diskography is extremely low.

Related Concept Videos

Infectious Diseases and Their Occurrence01:28

Infectious Diseases and Their Occurrence

Infectious diseases appear in populations through various transmission patterns, influenced by pathogen characteristics, population immunity, environmental conditions, and social behavior. Understanding these patterns is essential for effective public health surveillance and intervention. These categories—sporadic, outbreak, epidemic, pandemic, and endemic—help frame the nature and scope of disease events.Sporadic diseases occur irregularly and infrequently, without a predictable temporal or...
Stages of Infection01:26

Stages of Infection

Stages of infection describe what happens to a susceptible host once a pathogen invades the human body. The stages of infection are incubation, prodromal, illness, stage of decline, and convalescence. The incubation stage is the period from exposure to a pathogen until symptoms start. The infected person is unaware of impending illness as the pathogens grow and multiply within the body. The duration may vary depending on the type of infection. The incubation period of measles averages ten to...
Infection01:20

Infection

When a pathogen enters the body and reproduces, it can cause an infection, damage body cells, and cause illness symptoms that eventually lead to disease. Therefore, its prevention requires breaking the chain of infection.
The chain begins with pathogens: bacteria, viruses, fungi, prions, or parasites such as protozoa helminths. These can be present on the skin as transient or resident flora, or they can be acquired from the environment. Identifying and treating the type of infection and...
Healthcare Associated Infections I: Iatrogenic, Exogenic and Endogenic01:26

Healthcare Associated Infections I: Iatrogenic, Exogenic and Endogenic

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) occur in a healthcare facility while a person receives care for another ailment. This category also includes work-related infections among healthcare staff.
HAIs significantly increase the cost of health care. Extended stays in healthcare institutions, increased disability, increased costs of medications, including specialized antibiotics, and prolonged recovery times add to the patient's expenses and the healthcare institution and funding bodies. Common...
Transmission-based Precautions I: Contact, Enteric, and Droplets01:17

Transmission-based Precautions I: Contact, Enteric, and Droplets

Transmission-based precautions are for patients known to be infected or suspected to be infected or colonized with organisms that pose a significant risk to others. Some transmission-based precautions include contact, enteric, and droplet.
Contact Precautions:
Contact precautions are the measures taken to prevent the transmission of infectious agents, especially epidemiologically important microorganisms such as MRSA or influenza, primarily transmitted through direct or indirect contact with an...
Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection01:26

Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection

The hosts' susceptibility to infection depends on several factors. The integrity of the skin and mucous membranes helps protect the body against microbial attacks. When the skin is altered, the chance of infection, limb loss, and even death increases.
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin create...