Objective: To evaluate the accuracy of high-dose intravenous contrast-enhanced computed tomography
(CT) in differentiating recurrent herniated disk from scar tissue after lumbar spine
surgery. Methods: Retrospective review of postoperative contrast-enhanced lumbar CT scans obtained
in 286 patients who had received 84.6 g of iodine intravenously. The correlation between
CT results and surgical findings was evaluated in 37 of the patients who underwent
a subsequent repeat operation within 12 weeks of the CT study. Results: In detection of recurrent herniated disk, the sensitivity of CT was 63.4%, its specificity
was 75.0%, its positive predictive value was 95.5%, and its negative predictive value
was 20.0%. Conclusion: This study does not support the use of high doses of contrast medium administered
intravenously in CT of the postoperative lumbar spine; the results are not significantly
different from those of previous reports involving lower doses of contrast medium.
To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
Purchase one-time access:
Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online accessOne-time access price info
- For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
- For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'
Subscribe:
Subscribe to Clinical ImagingAlready a print subscriber? Claim online access
Already an online subscriber? Sign in
Register: Create an account
Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect
Article info
Publication history
Can Assoc Radiol J 1998;49:42–45
Identification
Copyright
© 1998 Published by Elsevier Inc.
