"Our study showed that patients with a positive bone SPECT have an excellent response to facet injections when injected at the abnormalities seen on SPECT, while patients with a negative SPECT have a much smaller chance of improving," Dr. Pneumaticos said.

"Until now, doctors have had no reliable way to determine which patients will actually benefit from the injections. This study shows that a relatively simple test can help identify patients who will benefit, and this helps avoid the use of facet injections in patients that would not benefit or could possibly be hurt by the procedure," he said.


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Radiology is a monthly scientific journal devoted to clinical radiology and allied sciences. The journal is edited by Anthony V. Proto, M.D., School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Va. Radiology is owned and published by the Radiological Society of North America, Inc. (RSNA.org/radiologyjnl)

The Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) is an association of more than 38,000 radiologists, radiation oncologists, medical physicists and related scientists committed to promoting excellence in radiology through education and by fostering research, with the ultimate goal of improving patient care. The Society is based in Oak Brook, Ill. (RSNA.org)

"Low Back Pain: Prediction of Short-term Outcome of Facet Joint Injection with Bone Scintigraphy." Collaborating with Dr. Pneumaticos on this paper were Sofia N. Chatziioannou, M.D., John A. Hipp, Ph.D., Warren H. Moore, M.D., and Stephen I. Esses, M.D.

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