Computed tomography in lumbar herniated disc

197 spine CTs were performed from 29th , March 1982 to 7th March, 1984. Among them, 39 patients preoperatively diagnosed as herniated nucleus pulposus or bulging disc with CT and myelography were operated. 43 disc spaces of disc disease are analysed in true positive and false negative cases. Finally the accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of spine CT and myelography are calculated. The results are as follows: 1. The CT findings of disc diseases are in order of frequency, asymmetrical obliteration of epidural fat (82%) , ventral indentation or compression on dural sac (72%), focal protrusion of disc (64%), root changes - obliteration, displacement, compression, non-filling of metrizamide - (54%), diffuse disc bulging (36%), disc at body level (31%), disc calcifications (26%), disc vacuum (10%) and other associated findings - spinal stenosis, foraminal stenosis, ligament flavum thickening, facet joint hypertrophy (26%). 2. Sensitivities of spine CT and myelography are 95% and 94%, specificities are 67%, 50% and overall accuracies 93%, 87%, respectively. 3. Therefore, it is recommended that the spine CT be used as a primary diagnostic method and the myelography as a secondary complementary study when the CT gives no conclusive findings.