Normal magnetic resonance imaging and abnormal discography in lumbar disc disruption.

STUDY DESIGN: This report describes a clinical series of seven patients who had surgically proven internal disc disruption, normal magnetic resonance imaging, and abnormal discograms morphologically.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Numerous reports in the literature have described the utility of magnetic resonance imaging and discography in diagnosing degenerative disease within lumbar intervertebral discs.

RESULTS: Discography may be useful in patients with persistent symptoms despite a normal or equivocal magnetic resonance imaging study.