Tests – what are they good for?
In the realm of back pain tests, of
MRIs that question must be questioned. What are MRIs good
for when the proportion
of useful, influential MRI studies is so small?
False positive MRI results upset those who get
such results. They inspire fear or caution where it
is not always needed. MRIs like this blur the
proper treatment plan. They cost quite a bit.
Novelli Wellness Center carefully evaluates the necessity of
MRI in the Orchard Park, NY chiropractic treatment plan of Orchard Park, NY
back pain relief.
MEDICINE’S VIEW
Interpretations of MRI images by
radiologists often vary.
The true-positive finding rate was 56.4%, and the miss-rate was 43.6%. (1)
MRI imaging may produce false suspicion. When
following the guidelines of the American College of Radiology, 93% of lumbar
spine MRIs were proper. Of those, only 13% revealed
anything that needed to be addressed. Of the 36 MRIs that caused
suspicion of cancer or infection, 81% were false-positive. 59% of the follow-up
MRIs on those suspicious findings were false positives. (2) MRI imaging may mislead.
For example, MRI demonstrates that the presence of
disc degeneration in asymptomatic persons – persons with no back pain – rises
with age: 37% in 20 year olds and 96% in
80 year olds; disc bulges: 30% to 84%; disc protrusion: 29% to 43%; annular
fissures 19% to 29%. These imaging findings suggest that
these are signs of normal aging. They remind all doctors, remind chiropractors
like yours at Novelli Wellness Center, to correlate all such
findings with patient symptoms. (1,3) Your Orchard Park, NY
chiropractor does this!
CHIROPRACTIC’S VIEW
Choosing Wisely guidelines for American chiropractors recommend
not repeating spinal imaging and not obtaining spinal imaging for
patients with acute low back pain in the first 6 weeks of back pain (unless there
are “red flags” – issues that indicate
something more worrisome). (4) A review of the success
of the Canadian Choosing Wisely recommendations for imaging nonspecific spinal
pain and symptoms reported that there is very low risk of missing
a serious cause of back pain. (5) The goal
of guidelines is less imaging, fewer false positives. Novelli Wellness Center wants what is
best for our Orchard Park, NY chiropractic care patients.
COX® TECHNIC’S VIEW
Chiropractors like yours at Novelli Wellness Center review
all the symptoms, tests and images our Orchard Park, NY chiropractic back
pain patients [[present on|bring with them39] their first Orchard Park, NY
chiropractic visit. So many back pain patients present to
Novelli Wellness Center with MRI images already in-hand.
Novelli Wellness Center will look at them but will depend more
on clinical exam findings and link them to what the MRI shows.
A rule of thumb with the Cox Technic System of Back Pain Relief is to seek 50% reduction of back pain in the first month
of care before ordering more imaging or
testing or referring for surgical consultation. (6)
CONTACT Novelli Wellness Center
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Dan Clark on the Back Doctor’s Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he explains
the role of imaging for back pain in the program of treatment
for pain relief.
Schedule your Orchard Park, NY chiropractic appointment
with Novelli Wellness Center today. Let us discover together
the best path to Orchard Park, NY back pain relief – with or without MRI
imaging!