|
|
|
Spinal Photos
March 24, 2009 |
They fill our homes, our offices, even our cell phones: pictures. Now images caught
on camera are helping doctors capture the reason behind nagging neck and back pain.
“In the modern era, by far and away, the most useful if you had to pick a single
imaging modality, it would be the MRI, magnetic resonance imaging,” says Dr. Jeffery
Henn, a neurosurgeon for Lee Memorial Health System.
It’s estimated that four out of five Americans will experience this kind of pain
once in their lifetime. Dr. Henn focuses on three different kinds of tests to zoom
in on the spinal problem. The MRI is the first option. “The reason that’s so valuable
is its non-invasive as far as everything we’ve ever studied, and completely safe.
And at the same time, it allows us to get an amazing look at the three dimensional
anatomy of a person and it allows us to see structures that would normally have
otherwise difficult to see: actual nerves, spinal chord, these kinds of structures,”
adds Henn.
The CT-Scan can also detect problems. Dr. Henn says, “its similar to an X-ray, except
it shows us three dimensional data and when a person gets a cat-scan, we can actually
see the anatomy in the same way we can see it on an MRI.”
Doctors also rely on the old-fashioned X-rays. “The most common is just regular
X-rays. X-rays are very good at showing us the bone since the spine is obviously
made up of bones. X-ray provides a lot of information about the alignment of the
bones and shows us things like fractures.”
New technology that makes seeing definitely worth believing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
