Study design: A retrospective clinical data analysis was performed.
Objectives: To determine the effect of needle insertion site on provocative diskography results, and to ascertain whether performing diskography ipsilaterally to a patient's reported pain leads to a higher rate of false-positives.
Summary of background data: In certain groups of patients, provocative diskography is associated with a significant false-positive rate, which can lead to misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment. Although purported by some to be a cause of false-positive diskogram results, the effect of needle insertion site on diskography results has yet to be determined.
Methods: The charts of 127 patients who underwent diskography were evaluated to determine the relationship between the location of pain, needle insertion site, and diskography results.
Results: Performing diskography on the side ipsilateral to a patient's pain did not result in a higher incidence of positive diskogram results.
Conclusion: False-positive diskography results are unlikely to result from performing the procedure on the same side as a patient's reported pain.