What scan is best for back pain?

The MRI (Magnetic resonance Imaging) was developed in the 1980’s and has revolutionized treatment for patients with low back pain. An MRI scan is generally considered to be the single best imaging study of the spine to help plan treatment for back pain.

Will an abdominal CT scan show back problems?

Our study suggests that abnormalities of the lumbar spine can be accurately detected on abdominal CT studies. The sensitivity, specificity, ppv, npv and accuracy of abdominal CT in lumbar spine evaluation on a per patient/per finding basis were 89.7/95.3\%, 97.3/100\%, 99.0/99.2\%, 76.6/99.8\% and 91.7/99.8\%, respectively.

Will back pain show up on MRI?

An MRI scan creates detailed pictures of your spine. It can pick up most injuries that you have had in your spine or changes that happen with aging. Even small problems or changes that are not the cause of your current back pain are picked up.

What if MRI shows nothing but still in pain?

The bottom line is that not all pain is able to be detected on an x-ray or MRI. That does not mean that there is nothing there that needs to be treated or diagnosed. In fact, it means that it is possibly a precursor to something going really wrong and then eventually needing surgery because it eventually winds up torn.

What MRI does not show?

Nearly every part of the body may be studied with MRI. MRI gives very detailed pictures of soft tissues like the brain. Air and hard bone do not give an MRI signal so these areas appear black.

What if an MRI shows nothing?

How accurate are MRI scans of the spine?

With many nuances, accuracy relies heavily on the skill of the reading radiologist. In a study published by The Spine Journal, the diagnostic error rate for lumbar MRI interpretations was a striking 43.6 percent.

What can an MRI not detect?

MRI can be used to view arteries and veins. Standard MRI can’t see fluid that is moving, such as blood in an artery, and this creates “flow voids” that appear as black holes on the image. Contrast dye (gadolinium) injected into the bloodstream helps the computer “see” the arteries and veins.

Can u get arthritis in your spine?

Arthritis can occur anywhere along the spine but is more frequent in the lower back and neck. Pain and stiffness are the most common symptoms of spinal arthritis. Causes of spinal arthritis are still largely unknown except for osteoarthritis, which is typically a result of wear and tear.

What role does an X-ray or MRI play in diagnosing lower back pain?

What role does x-ray or MRI play in diagnosing the cause of lower back pain? Your doctor may recommend an x-ray or MRI if your lower back pain resulted from traumatic injury, such as a fall or car accident. Of course, that doesn’t mean other potential causes of lower back pain do not warrant medical imaging immediately or at a later time.

Will an X-ray or MRI make my back pain go away faster?

Keep in mind the imaging test indications mentioned earlier in this article—such as neurological symptoms and/or co-existing medical conditions that may accompany lower back pain. And, take comfort in knowing that undergoing an x-ray or MRI will not make your back pain go away faster.

Can all pain be detected on an X-ray or MRI?

Those in one muscle can affect all the rest of the muscles and begin to cause pain. The bottom line is that not all pain is able to be detected on an x-ray or MRI. That does not mean that there is nothing there that needs to be treated or diagnosed.

Is MRI overuse bad for your back?

MRI overuse is a classic “streetlight effect” mistake: focusing only where the light is good. MRI makes it easy to medically emphasize what seems important in back pain, but the condition of the spine is one thing, and back pain is another.