[Scanography and chemonucleolysis of herniated discs. Value and limitations in 20 cases]

Scanography explorations were conducted before and after chemonucleolysis in 20 patients with sciatica from herniated discs. The scanner can improve the selection of patients for this new type of medical treatment by detecting adverse factors: stenosed discs, excluded hernias, narrow canals, stenosis of the lateral recesses. The diagnostic precision of scanography can be demonstrated by comparison of results with those obtained by discography. Following chemonucleolysis, however, intravenous injection of a contrast medium and a high resolution programme are necessary to obtain specific information from scanography.