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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Transtubular Endoscopic Posterolateral Decompression for L5-S1 Lumbar Lateral Disc Herniation

Transtubular Endoscopic Posterolateral Decompression for L5-S1 Lumbar Lateral Disc Herniation

Published on: October 14, 2022

Lumbar discography.

Gregory R Saboeiro¹

¹Department of Radiology and Imaging, Division of Interventional Radiology and CT, Hospital for Special Surgery, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10021, USA. saboeirog@hss.edu

Radiologic Clinics of North America

|April 14, 2009

Summary

Lumbar discography is a safe tool for diagnosing discogenic pain. Further research is needed to confirm its accuracy in identifying problematic discs and predicting surgical outcomes for low back pain.

Area of Science:

Spine diagnostics
Pain management
Radiology

Background:

Lumbar discography is a diagnostic procedure for discogenic pain.
Its adoption by medical professionals is limited due to safety and accuracy concerns.
Conflicting reports exist regarding its diagnostic value for low back pain and radiculopathy.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate the safety and diagnostic accuracy of lumbar discography.
To determine if discography can reliably identify clinically significant discs.
To assess its predictive value for surgical outcomes in patients with low back pain.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature on lumbar discography.
Analysis of safety data and accuracy studies.

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Comparison of diagnostic and prognostic capabilities.

Main Results:

Lumbar discography is generally considered safe.
There are ongoing debates regarding its accuracy and clinical relevance.
Evidence is insufficient to definitively confirm its ability to predict surgical success.

Conclusions:

Lumbar discography is a safe diagnostic tool for presumed discogenic pain.
Further studies are required to establish its definitive role in diagnosis and treatment planning.
Certainty regarding its ability to localize significant discs and predict surgical outcomes is lacking.