low back pain, máIt's known as ciática O lumbago, can have a lot of different causes, and, as a general rule, it has to do with meáit's one. Some of the más frequent are the lack of musculature in the back, overload or imbalanceón, así like herniated disc, a bad alignmentón of the spine including scoliosis, a degenerative disc disease, trauma, infections or compression fracturesón osteoporótica, among others. This makes many people wonder if you really need a lumbar resonance.
The answer to this question is that not always necessary. This raises doubts regarding the imaging tests that should be done in case of suffering from ciática or lumbago. For this reason, we are going to explain what you should know about the main imaging tests más requested by spine surgeons.
Index
Imaging tests más requested by spine surgeons
Radiographerías
The radiographerías give ideal to the spine professional. They are the best imaging test to assess alignment.ón and spinal deformities. It must be the first test used for evaluation.ócolumn no.. are the más used when carrying out load, that is to say, with the patient standing, but sometimes they are performed in flexión, en extensionón, lying face up or face down to check the stability of the spine.
To the radiologistía is not a painful test, but yesí It must be taken into account that the irradiationón with X-rays is harmful, Therefore, it is advisable to limit its use to cases in which its use is really justified.. It should be noted that the radiographía of the lumbar spine entails an irradiationón 150 times greater than an x-rayíto of tórax.
magn resonanceética
The magn resonanceética es excellent for studying soft tissue. It is able to detect disc herniation, canal stenosis, injuries to the nerves or the médrama, fractures or tumors.
What can cause back pain due to alterations or inflammation in the area of the injury lumbar resonance the patient is not exposed to anyún type of radiate usón dangerous and not painful. Needed, Nevertheless, that the patient isé quiet for a few 15 minutes in a small spaceñO, so it can become a situationón nasty, especially for those who have a tendency to claustrophobia.
Nevertheless, It must be taken into account that different studies have indicated that magnetic resonance imaging is not as reliable.étics as considered in the diagnosisóStico of back ailments. Other studies show that in a lumbar resonance, until the 30% of healthy and pain-free people show herniated discs, and the 70% protrusions.
Scanneríto computerized
The Scanneríto computerized the escáner is very úUseful for analyzing alignmentón of the spine and to study the bone, especially when the patient has had a trauma to his spine. The ESCáner allows you to see the bone better than magnetic resonanceética.
is the best exámenu to be able to make an evaluationóno of cóHow is the bone formed afterés of the surgeryíto the spine. The ESCáner is not a painful test but it is not innocuous either, since it causes the patient to be exposed to irradiationón considerable, which is equivalent to several x-raysílike at the same time.
Lumbar resonance to complement radiographyía
The lumbar resonance It is a non-invasive test with which to diagnose problems or diseases in the back.. It is about the optionón viable when the radiografía is not enough to locate the cause of pain in patients. Used to be able to get imáclear genes of the regióno lower back.
With the lumbar resonance bone injuries can be diagnosed, así as in intervertebral discs and ligaments, así as diseases of the spine, like tumors, ecoliosis, tumors, infections and inflammatory diseases. Because of this, the magnetic resonanceéethics is the testás need for the diagnosisóstic of the two lumbar disorders más common in patients of different ages, from hereátics and low back pain.
with the imágenes obtained with the lumbar resonance it is possible to identify the origin of the pain that radiates along the civic nerveático. This is used for ciátic radiated lumbar pain. Además, a través of the resonance of the lumbar spine can be checked if there is any alterationón in the column responsible for pain.
At the same time, when i getágenes of the entire lower back,. this test also diagnosesén facilitates identificationón other disorders that affect bowel or bladder control.
Cóhow the lumbar resonance is performed
in the mámagnetic resonance machineséethics applies a radiofrequency pulse to a tissue subjected to a magnetic fieldético, a tissue to beá, in this case, located in the lower back. At the same time, A receiving antenna is responsible for picking up the signal.ñal débile emitted by the tissues to be examined, one señwho is transformed into an image.
To make a magn resonanceética in the back it is necessary that the person lies face up on the stretcher enabled for it, inside the máwhich of MR. This protocol results inás cómode and less stressful for patients in MRI equipmentéopen ethics, since these allow the patient to observe the outside while the test is performed, doing aceí reduce the level of anxiety.
Secondly, the mámagnetic resonance machineséopen ethics high field guarantee better results. This is because the quality of the image depends, to a large degree, that the patients areén lo más still possible. This willá let it be meáIt is easy to get a good result on these devices, especially in the case of childrenños, that thanks to these open MRI they can be in companyñíto his parents. Spaghettién help all those patients who are clautrophókisses or overweight.
The lumbar resonance, as usual, has a durationón of between 10 and 20 minutes, a procedure that is, Thus, quite ráI ask.
