A Comparative Study between MRI and Myelogram in Lumbar Disorders

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to compare MRI with Myelogram in 31 lumbar disorders, and evaluate the utility of them.
The results of our study showed that both MRI and Myelogram had same findings in 30 (97%) of 31 cases, but that in comparison with operative findings Myelogram had same ones in 22 (88%) of 25 cases and MRI had same ones in 23 (92%).
In the ability of diagnosis MRI and Myelogram were almost equal. But as regards dynamic factor Myelogram was superior and as regards intervertebral disk MRI was superior. Moreover, though Myelogram cannot diagnose the extraforaminal lesion, MRI can do it by its axial view.
At the present time MRI and Myelogram have almost same ability in diagnosis but further advances in MRI technology and adequate choices of sections, pulse sequence and slice thickness can be expected to diagnose the lesion at the level of nerve roots.