Guidelines
The one study meeting review criteria evaluated thermography in 107 patients with sciatica of unspecified duration, 19 of whom went on to have low back surgery, and 28 asymptomatic subjects with no history of back problems and no evidence of disease affecting the lower extremities. Of the 19 patients with sciatica who went on to have surgery, only 53% had results on preoperative thermography in agreement with surgical findings.
The only study considered reliable found no discriminant value for thermography in diagnosing lumbar radiculopathy.
The four studies evaluating thermography in persons without back problems found abnormal thermography of the lower limbs in 7-81% of these asymptomatic subjects.
|
Disclaimer and conditions for use of this guide.
Comments? Send them to feedback@backguide.com © Copyright Institute for Work & Health 1999 |
Designed by New Media Interactive
Web Page Created June 6, 1999 Web Page Last Revised June 6, 1999 |