Discogram: What is it?

What is a discogram?

- Teresa / Tennessee

Answer

A discogram, or diskogram, is a test used prior to spinal fusion surgery to help determine which disk or disks are a source of pain. The test itself is simply an enhanced X-ray examination (CT scan) of the pads of cartilage (intervertebral disks) that separate the bones in your spine (vertebrae). During this procedure, dye is injected under low pressure into the center of at least three different disks. Then the CT scan is performed to observe the amount of structural changes in each disk.

A discogram is used primarily to help determine whether a disk is causing pain. By injecting dye into the disk while monitoring for reproduction of back pain, the doctor can determine if the disk is a source of chronic low back pain and therefore needs to be removed as part of a spinal fusion surgery. The test can detect structural damage in a disk and show if a disk has begun to rupture or has tears in its outer ring.

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