CT discography: prognostic value in the selection of patients for chemonucleolysis.

The purpose of this study is to analyze the prognostic value of discography followed by lumbar CT scanning in the selection of patients for chemonucleolysis. The overall success rate of chemonucleolysis in this series of 50 patients were 72%. The best results were obtained when the herniated disc fragment demonstrated a large uptake of contrast material visible by CT discography. The success rate of chemonucleolysis in this group of patients was 95%. Conversely, when the herniated fragment demonstrated no uptake of contrast material by CT discography, the success rate of the chemonucleolysis was 16%.