You may be asked to move certain ways so that your doctor can evaluate your spine's mobility. If your back pain persists for longer than a few weeks, your physician will want to figure out why the pain is not going away. Spinal stenosis, for example, can be detected by a CT, MRI or myelogram. Pictures of the spine in different positions can be used to look for any abnormal movement of one vertebral body over another, which can provide clues about what is causing the pain. A major advantage of this technique is that it provides especially good images of the various neurological structures.
Contrast substances are chemicals that make it easier to detect abnormalities in the images.
These include persons with a pacemaker or prosthetic heart valve. CT scanning can image the bones and some of the neurological structures. A contrast substance can be used if necessary. A CT scan is also often done following the injection. In some patients, neurophysiological testing may be helpful for diagnosing the cause of back pain.