Discography is a specialized diagnostic procedure that helps identify which spinal discs are causing your pain. At Keith Schmidt, MD in Hoffman Estates, IL, we use provocative discography when other imaging studies haven’t conclusively identified the source of your chronic back pain, providing the precise information needed to guide your treatment plan.
Why Discography Is Important
MRIs and CT scans can show structural abnormalities in your spine, but they can’t always tell us which disc is actually causing your pain. Many people have disc abnormalities on imaging that cause no symptoms at all. Discography bridges this gap by reproducing your typical pain pattern when contrast is injected into the suspect disc, confirming it as the true pain generator.
The Procedure
Under fluoroscopic guidance, Dr. Schmidt injects contrast dye into the suspected discs while monitoring your pain response. If injection into a specific disc reproduces your typical pain, it confirms that disc as the source. This information is invaluable for planning surgical interventions or targeted treatments. The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis at our Hoffman Estates facility.
Get answers about your disc pain. Schedule your diagnostic consultation today.