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Lumbar thermography in discogenic disease
Radiology
|April 1, 1976
Summary
Thermography, a noninvasive outpatient procedure, can help identify herniated disk abnormalities. While a positive thermogram suggests issues detectable by myelography, a negative result does not rule out potential findings.
Area of Science:
- Medical imaging
- Diagnostic procedures
- Neurology
Background:
- Herniated disks present diagnostic challenges.
- Noninvasive imaging modalities are sought for early detection.
- Thermography offers a potential screening tool.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the utility of thermography in diagnosing herniated disks.
- To correlate thermographic findings with myelography results.
Main Methods:
- Thermography was performed on patients with suspected herniated disks.
- Results were compared with subsequent myelography findings.
Main Results:
- A positive thermogram generally correlated with abnormalities found on myelography.
- Negative thermograms did not reliably predict normal myelography findings.
Conclusions:
- Thermography can be a useful noninvasive screening tool for herniated disks.
- Positive thermography supports further investigation with myelography.
- Negative thermography does not exclude the need for myelography.