The image-controlled minimally invasive injection treatment of the spine comprises a multitude of tissue-sparing, thus gentle, ways of engaging the spinal column. These procedures can be used for both acute and chronic degenerative spinal disorder. The indication for image-controlled minimally invasive injection treatment consists in therapy-resistant pain progression from your spine.
A variety of different treatments like:
- Nerve Root Treatment, Periradicular Injection (PRT)
- Epidural injection
- Facet joint treatment
- Facet joint obliteration
belong to the group of minimally invasive injection treatments.
The use of our modern magnetic resonance tomographs, the company Siemens (1.5 Tesla Magnetom Essenza ®) in the therapies, can be a precise, radiation-free and tissue-preserving treatment without complications such as vascular and nerve injury.
How are the treatments performed?
The treatment is performed under exact magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) control. The patient lies comfortably on the examination couch, similar to CT-assisted interventions. Before the actual puncture of the area to be treated, however, it is still necessary to determine the exact location. In order to accurately detect the puncture site, the patient is previously a mark stuck to the skin, which will serve as a measuring instrument later. In addition, the patient gets a flexible coil (measuring instrument) strapped over our back to minimize the respiratory shift. Now a sagittal MRI scan (TRUFI multi localizer) will first pinpoint the location of the actual pain source. This is followed by transversal tomograms (T1w or T2w-TSE, 3mm, low matrix, max 192 and high bandwidth 200+, which keep the acquisition times extremely low <20 s), similar to CT. After the puncture site has been drawn onto the skin, a thorough skin disinfection and local anesthesia, a very thin needle (made of non-magnetic material) is brought directly into the vicinity of the irritated nerve root or the facet. Then the needle position is checked with the administration of an MR contrast agent. Only with absolutely correct position of the injection needle, the drugs are injected.
Radiation-free pain therapy - Thanks to modern magnetic resonance imaging, we offer you a radiation-free and highly effective pain therapy. Since X-rays are not used on MRI, the method is particularly suitable for younger patients and women of childbearing age.
