Harold Haft

Larger Volume Pantopaque Lumbar Myeloqraphy

Despite reports encouraging the employment of larger amounts of Pantopaque in myelography (1, 2, 4), there appears to be a general reluctance to use any more than 6 c.c. in examining the lumbar canal. This hesitancy seems to be based on the premise that the more of the medium used, the higher the complication rate, since more supposedly will be left in the subarachnoid space. It has been our general impression that this presumption is false and that there are decided advantages in the use of larger volumes of contrast material in myelography, namely, better films, diagnostically and technically; less overall time and effort on the part of the surgeon and the radiologist; less radiation and discomfort to the patient. In order to test this general impression, 30 patients were studied. Those with a clinical diagnosis of radiculitis involving the L4, L5, and 81 roots only were used. Patients having had previous myelograms and/or spine operations were not included in the study. The 30 patients were divided int...