2007-03-09 15:18:37 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Injuries
You cannot see the discs in plain xrays since these are soft tissues. You will be able to see the vertebrae and the spaces between them but not the discs. The MRI is the definite diagnostic procedure to rule out disc problems, much better than a CT scan.
2007-03-09 22:27:49 · answer #1 · answered by Rene B 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a herniated disk will show up as the bones being too close together because the disk isn't separating them. Sometimes they inject opaque to x ray dye in the nerve sheath and the pinched area shows. They decide you have a herniated disk by looking at the pictures. A mri may be better, but it is newer technology and very expensive, so not available to some doctors and health care facilities.
2007-03-09 23:26:55 · answer #2 · answered by jekin 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes, can be seen on x ray but a more detailed image will be clearer on MRI. They will first do an x ray.... if there is eveidence of one... THEN they will do an MRI to have a better glance at it.
2007-03-13 03:10:10 · answer #3 · answered by misspookett 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Both. But..the MRI is much better at detail and will give exact readings.
2007-03-09 23:26:42 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋