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Discogram

A discogram is an imaging test used by doctors on patients who are suffering from intervertebral disc disorders. This imaging test helps to determine exactly which disc is causing back or neck pain. It usually is performed in a clinic or a hospital on an outpatient basis and takes about an hour.

During a discogram, contrast dye is injected under low pressure into the center of the disc suspected of causing the problem. A fluoroscope is used to help guide the needle. Local anesthetic is injected into the skin of the back before the needle is inserted, but the patient is kept awake and communicative during the procedure.

The patient must remain alert during the discogram in order to describe the accompanying disc pain to the doctor. As the dye is injected, the back or neck pain the patient previously felt is recreated. This helps guide the doctor during diagnosis, because the level of pain severity is one of the clues to its origin. Following the injection, a CT scan may be performed to provide an image displaying the behavior of the dye within the disc. The dye remains in the center of a healthy disc, but spreads in the presence of a herniated disc, a bulging disc or other disc abnormality.

While a discogram generally is a safe procedure, it is invasive and carries some risk, including:

• Worsening of the back or neck pain
• Infection of the disc (discitis)
• Nerve damage
• Headache or nausea
• An allergic response to the dye

Because it is an invasive procedure, a discogram normally is used only if an MRI doesn’t clearly show the location of a damaged disc. Additionally, some neurosurgeons might order a discogram in advance of spinal fusion, a form of traditional open-back surgery often prescribed for sufferers of severe degenerative disc disease and other spinal conditions. Spinal fusion sometimes can be successful in improving strength and stability to vertebrae compromised by spinal conditions, but it requires a lengthy recovery, comes with several risks, and can weaken surrounding areas of the spine.

Click Here to see how you can get your life back in 5 days

The award-winning surgeons at Laser Spine Institute (LSI) offer a spinal fusion alternative. We use gentle, endoscopic techniques to treat the source of back and neck pain and help you regain your life quickly. Contact LSI to learn about our minimally invasive, outpatient procedures. Or, if you have undergone a recent discogram that revealed a spinal condition, contact the medical professionals at LSI to discuss your treatment options. We’ll review your MRI or CT scan for free.

Please note: Laser Spine Institute currently does not perform endoscopic procedures on the thoracic spine.