| Radiology
and the
SPINE
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*Diagnostic
studies are used to confirm an anatomical lesion (injury) as a
cause of back or neck pain. They are particularly useful to
pinpoint the source and extent of the injury to assist in the
diagnosis and development of an appropriate treatment plan.
Patients
are usually advised to complete a period of conservative care,
usually at least four to six weeks from the onset of pain, before
obtaining any type of diagnostic study.
The
only instance that an imaging study is immediately necessary is if a
patient experiences bowel or bladder incontinence or progressive
neurological loss of function, such as progressive weakness.
There
are several types of diagnostic imaging technologies and techniques
available to assist in accurately diagnosing the anatomical injury
that is causing pain.
- X-rays,
the most common and inexpensive form of imaging, are usually
obtained first.
- Then,
based on the result of the x-ray, a treatment plan may be
developed or increasingly more sophisticated imaging studies may
be completed to more precisely define the source and extent of
the anatomical structure that is causing pain.
Some
injections are used both for pain relief and diagnostic
purposes and are included on the injections portion of the site.
*Source:
Spine-Health.com
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