Isolated Lumbar Disc Disease Can be Determined by Non-Invasive Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) and Responds to Surgery. Non-Invasive Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy scans for certain disc chemicals- lactate (LA) and proteoglycan (PG), as quantifiable biomarkers for discogenic pain. It was found to have “total accuracy of 85%, sensitivity of 82%, and specificity of 88%. These increased to 93%, 91%, and 93%
respectively, in non-herniated discs” – when compared to provocative discography (PD). Surgery to positive discs made it practical: :”when all MRS positive discs were treated, surgical success was 97% versus 57% when the treated level was MRS negative, or 54% when the non-treated adjacent level was MRS positive.”
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