Open AccessParticulate Epidural Steroid may not be Detectable on Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Author(s) -
Ruben Schwartz
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
interventional pain management reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2575-9841
DOI - 10.36076/pmcr.2020/4/1
Subject(s) - magnetic resonance imaging , medicine , lumbar , hematoma , epidural space , epidural steroid injection , radicular pain , radiology , epidural hematoma , surgery , low back pain , pathology , alternative medicine
Lumbar epidural steroid injections (LESI) havebecome a staple in the interventional pain physician’sarmamentarium. For patients with radicularsymptomatology, LESIs provide substantial painrelief with a favorable safety profile. Adverse effects,although rare, can occur as with any procedure.One of the most dreaded complications isthe development of an epidural hematoma, whichshould be readily seen on Magnetic ResonanceImaging (MRI). It has been previously thoughtthat particulate steroid injections should also beseen on MRI potentially obscuring a physician’sclinical judgment. We present two cases wherepatients underwent an uncomplicated LESI andsubsequently went for a lumbar MRI that displayedno injectate in the epidural space.Key words: Epidural steroid injection, magneticresonance imaging, particulate injection, hematoma