Lumbar spine X-rays for back pain: Still justified as a screening examination in South Africa
Standard teaching in the imaging approach to patients with back pain is that plain X-ray should only be obtained after 3 months of conservative treatment and thorough clinical examination and appropriate laboratory investigations. This approach, while appropriate in first-world countries, may lead t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2003-08-01
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| Series: | South African Journal of Radiology |
| Online Access: | https://sajr.org.za/index.php/sajr/article/view/1390 |
| _version_ | 1811208820044595200 |
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| author | A. T. Scher |
| author_facet | A. T. Scher |
| author_sort | A. T. Scher |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Standard teaching in the imaging approach to patients with back pain is that plain X-ray should only be obtained after 3 months of conservative treatment and thorough clinical examination and appropriate laboratory investigations. This approach, while appropriate in first-world countries, may lead to conditions such as tuberculosis of the spine being overlooked. An analysis was therefore made of 1 383 patients with complaints of lower back pain who were referred for X-ray of the lumbar spine. In 28 patients active spinal tuberculosis was diagnosed; in 8 of these patients the diagnosis had not been suspected clinically. It is concluded that in South Africa with its unsophisticated patient population and poor facilities, limited X-ray (lateral and AP view) of the lumbar spine is justified in patients presenting with back pain for the first time. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T04:28:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-aba21e94eea6492aac6ed6ae9f1ebe3c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1027-202X 2078-6778 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T04:28:06Z |
| publishDate | 2003-08-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South African Journal of Radiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-aba21e94eea6492aac6ed6ae9f1ebe3c2022-12-22T03:48:00ZengAOSISSouth African Journal of Radiology1027-202X2078-67782003-08-017391110.4102/sajr.v7i3.1390778Lumbar spine X-rays for back pain: Still justified as a screening examination in South AfricaA. T. Scher0Department of Radiology, Tygerberg Academic Hospital and University of StellenboschStandard teaching in the imaging approach to patients with back pain is that plain X-ray should only be obtained after 3 months of conservative treatment and thorough clinical examination and appropriate laboratory investigations. This approach, while appropriate in first-world countries, may lead to conditions such as tuberculosis of the spine being overlooked. An analysis was therefore made of 1 383 patients with complaints of lower back pain who were referred for X-ray of the lumbar spine. In 28 patients active spinal tuberculosis was diagnosed; in 8 of these patients the diagnosis had not been suspected clinically. It is concluded that in South Africa with its unsophisticated patient population and poor facilities, limited X-ray (lateral and AP view) of the lumbar spine is justified in patients presenting with back pain for the first time.https://sajr.org.za/index.php/sajr/article/view/1390 |
| spellingShingle | A. T. Scher Lumbar spine X-rays for back pain: Still justified as a screening examination in South Africa South African Journal of Radiology |
| title | Lumbar spine X-rays for back pain: Still justified as a screening examination in South Africa |
| title_full | Lumbar spine X-rays for back pain: Still justified as a screening examination in South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Lumbar spine X-rays for back pain: Still justified as a screening examination in South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Lumbar spine X-rays for back pain: Still justified as a screening examination in South Africa |
| title_short | Lumbar spine X-rays for back pain: Still justified as a screening examination in South Africa |
| title_sort | lumbar spine x rays for back pain still justified as a screening examination in south africa |
| url | https://sajr.org.za/index.php/sajr/article/view/1390 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT atscher lumbarspinexraysforbackpainstilljustifiedasascreeningexaminationinsouthafrica |