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#9847

OK….so every doctor in the country seems to NOT know what this scan is…it’s an alleged nerve scan pioneered by Dr. Aaron Filler…it’s like an MRI of the nerves. The purpose is to show highlight nerves and show where they are stressed…NOT covered by insurance, you can have it done for about $2,000….i’m not a salesman, i just discovered this as i’m heading down a road to back surgery. I believe all options need to be exhausted before being cut. While this is an expensive diagnostic tool, it MAY be able to find more direct causes of nerve pain that do NOT originate from the spine. To me, it’s worth the money for the potetial of avoiding back surgery. Surgeons turn to the back cause they can’t see anywhere outside of it….this test is supposed to do just that. How many FAILED back fuses have their been? MANY…You wonder how your pain is still there even though the alleged “pain generator” has been removed? That’s called GUESS WORK…anything that may point to outside of the spine is worth looking into FIRST… Dr. Corneman, have you heard of, or ever used this technology as a diagnostic tool?

[Donald Corenman, MD, DC]

#9848

Neurography is a type of MRI scan that tries to focus on the nerve itself. Most MRI scans will identify the nerve as part of a global picture along with the discs, facets and bone of the spine. This type of scan attempts to follow the nerve itself down its anatomical pathway.

Neurography or its counterpart is valuable to look at a nerve if there is no obvious cause of nerve pain found on a standard MRI. For example, if a patient has a history and physical examination conclusive for an L5 radiculopathy but the MRI notes no compressive cause and the L5 nerve image is normal (not inflamed or swollen), this type of MRI examination can be helpful.

Peripheral neuropathy, which is the most common cause of non-spine related nerve pain will not be identified on this MRI examination so an MRI scan of this disorder is unhelpful. This is where the EMG/NCV test is useful. Non-peripheral neuropathy peripheral nerve disorders are very rare.

If you suspect a peripheral nerve disorder that is not the typical peripheral neuropathy or want to leave no stone unturned, you could have an MRI of the brachial plexus or sciatic/femoral nerve plexus performed (neurography). Even though both are exceedingly rare findings, the L5 nerve could be trapped in the piriformus muscle or be involved with a nerve root tumor (neurolemmona or similar type). Neurography would be helpful to rule in or out these disorders in these cases.

Back or neck pain (as compared to leg or arm pain which is caused by nerve root injury) will not be helped by a neurography test. The discs, facets and bones of the spine are the pain generators in the vast majority of lower back and neck pain cases. The job of the surgeon is to identify the correct pain generator and find a surgery that can help reduce or eliminate the pain.

Dr. Corenman

PLEASE REMEMBER, THIS FORUM IS MEANT TO PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION ON SPINE ANATOMY, CONDITIONS AND TREATMENTS. TO GET AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS, YOU MUST VISIT A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL IN PERSON.
 
Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books.

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