Intraosseous Vertebral Venography as a Diagnostic Aid in Evaluating Intervertebral-Disc Disease of the Lumbar Spine

¹ From the Orthopedic Department, United States Naval Hospital, Philadelphia

A technique for intraosseous venography is described, based on anatomical and physiological considerations. A series of forty-two patients with suspected disc disease studied by venography and myelography and subsequently surgically explored revealed that the diagnostic accuracy of venography compares most favorably with that of myelography. The two studies together demonstrated roentgenographically the presence or absence of the disc lesions encountered in thirty-nine (93 per cent) of forty-two of the patients in this series. Intraosseous vertebral venography is a useful diagnostic aid in evaluating patients with suspected lumbar-disc disease and is especially helpful in evaluating patients with compensation claims who may not be ideal candidates for myelographic examination.

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