[Neuroradiographic diagnosis of degenerative intervertebral disk diseases--the Dusseldorf Diagnostic Disk Program. I....

The treatment of disc diseases, in particular the broad spectrum of surgical procedures for pathology with radicular and transmitted symptoms, calls for a differentiated appraisal of disc pathology. The information content of different imaging methods (CT, Disco-CT, NMI) in the various types of degenerative disc diseases was compared in a prospective study (92 patients) and verified at surgery. In accordance with experimental studies a Discus CT classification (Types I-V) was taken as a basis. Categories IV (general degeneration) and V (annulus rupture) were divided into three levels of severity (a-c). The sensitivity and specificity of Disco-CT for disc herniation, i.e. 97% and 93%, respectively, are markedly higher than those of CT or NMI. Similar results were obtained in distinguishing different types of disc morphology. The choice of imaging procedures for diagnosing causes of sacral/leg pain with radicular symptoms is illustrated with reference to the results.