[Transabdominal ultrasound tomography of the lumbar intervertebral disks and the lumbar canal].

The transabdominal sonographic examination of the lumbar intervertebral discs and the lumbar canal was carried out on 50 patients, for whom no existed clinical symptoms for a lumbosacral nerve root lesion. The sonographic device used was a mechanical sector scanner with a transducer with a frequency of 3.5 MHz. The transversal representation of the lumbar intervertebral discs and the lumbar canal was successful mainly at the height of the intervertebral space L4/5 (96%), less frequent at the height L3/4 (74%), L5/S1 (70%) and L2/3 (18%). The intervertebral disc and the intraspinal space at the height of the disc can be assessed in a transversal section, and thus the noninvasive sonographic method represents an improvement of the conventional X-ray-examination of the lumbar spine.