Role of computed tomography in the radiological evaluation of painful radiculopathy after negative myelography: foraminal neural entrapment.

Journal Article (Journal Article)

Thirty-five patients with an unremarkable or a negative water-soluble contrast myelogram and a diagnosis of foraminal neural entrapment made or more firmly established by computed tomography (CT) were detected in evaluating 950 patients presenting for myelography. The CT criterion of foraminal neural entrapment was the presence of a mass displacing epidural fat and encroaching on the neural intervertebral foramen or lateral recess so as to compromise an emerging nerve root. The entrapment (confirmed operatively) was due to a laterally prolapsed disc (16 cases), superior articular hypertrophy (4 cases), lateral recess stenosis (3 cases), posterolateral vertebral bone lipping (2 cases), tumors (6 cases), postoperative scarring (2 cases), spondylolisthesis (1 case), and synovial cysts that encroached on the neural foramina (1 case). CT is an important additional investigation in patients with a painful radiculopathy and a negative or equivocal water-soluble contrast myelogram.

Full Text

Duke Authors

Cited Authors

  • Osborne, DR; Heinz, ER; Bullard, D; Friedman, A

Published Date

  • February 1, 1984

Published In

Volume / Issue

  • 14 / 2

Start / End Page

  • 147 - 153

PubMed ID

  • 6709137

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 0148-396X

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1227/00006123-198402000-00005

Language

  • eng

Conference Location

  • United States