Obligatory medical device diagnostics.
- X-ray of the spine – signs of discopathy:
- Height reduction
- Vertebral body defects with sclerosis (“calcification”).
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI; computer-assisted cross-sectional imaging method (using magnetic fields, i.e., without X-rays); particularly well suited for imaging soft tissue injuries) of the spine – method of first choice, in cases of suspected prolapse (herniated disc), degeneration, narrowing of the plexus (plexus of nerve fibers); signs of discopathy are:
- Height reduction
- Dislocation of the nucleus pulposus (cell-poor gelatinous tissue with a high water content).
- Deformation
- Dehydration (lack of fluid) of the disc
- Computed tomography (CT; sectional imaging method (X-ray images from different directions with computer-based evaluation), particularly well suited for the depiction of bony injuries) of the spine (spinal CT) – findings analogous to MRI.
