Lumbosacral spine CT

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CT scan	Lumbar vertebrae	Skeletal spine	Vertebra, lumbar (low back)
Vertebra, thoracic (mid back)

A lumbosacral spine CT is a computed topography of the lower spine and surrounding tissues.

Spinal CT; CT - lumbosacral spine

The CT is performed with the patient lying face-up.

In some cases, an iodine-based contrast dye may be injected into a vein to help visualize tissues. In other cases, a CT of the lumbosacral spine may be performed after injecting contrast dye into the spinal canal during a lumbar puncture, to further check for pressure on the nerves.

The scan will usually last a few minutes.

The patient should remove all jewelry or other metals that may cause inaccurate images.

The x-rays are painless. The primary discomfort may be from the need to lie still on the table.

A CT scan is an excellent tool for evaluating fractures and degenerative changes of the spine (such as from arthritis). MRI is a superior exam for imaging the spinal cord and intervertebral disks.

Review Date: 10/25/2006
Reviewed By: Stuart Bentley-Hibbert, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.