The impressive quality of its images, negligible risk, and multiplanar capabilities have spurred the use of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging for studying the spine. This study is intended to assess the accuracy of MR imaging in the evaluation of lumbar spinal disease. Forty-one preoperative patients were studied with MR, conventional myelography and CT myelography. In patients of degenerative disc disease, MR was at least as diagnostic as myelography. But according to the evaluation of the root compression, MR was inferior to myelography. Compared with CT myelography, MR was equivalent. The existence of epidural vein or fat was not always confirmed in operation at the site of high intensity area in MR imaging. Operative findings also showed that it was not easy to distinguish between epidural vein and fat with MR imaging. Because of the poor ability to show the condition of roots, in the present condition, it seems to be too early to use MR imaging as the preoperative final examination without myelography.
