Image-Guided Procedures for Back Pain

Question: I’ve had excruitating pain in my sacrum and low back but more in my sacrum and i cant get a mri that shows where i can puy my finger on the area of pain to show anything? a recent cat scan shows potruding disk,.and calcification in l-4-5-s-1., but the spine and pain management doctors say im pointing to my sacrum.It also shows arthritis in my si.joint and calcification in that area.but the worse pain is in my sacrum. What can I do this pain is been there for years and my spine surgeon says theres nothing there, when it is. My right Leg is almost stopped working I can barely move it due to short leg on right side. I need a test showing whats causing my pain in S-1-2-3. Any help would be appreciated.

Answer: Thank you for contacting the Head, Neck and Spine Imaging Ask an Expert Forum. In order to individualize a response to you, we would need more about your history, such as what treatments you have tried in the past, more about how your walking is being affected and what differences and possible explanation for the differences between the right and left legs.

However, we can make a few general comments that might be helpful. Our experts feel that you should think about getting a second opinion, possibly from a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) physician. When it comes to back problems, the imaging results are often not the whole story, and need to be used together with a good physical evaluation. Other imaging tests that we can offer would include CT or MR myelogram. We also offer imaging-based therapeutic interventions such as epidural steroid injection, which might be recommended to you. The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery has a variety of specialists, or call the UT Spine and Scoliosis Clinic, at (713) 838-8300.