Myelogram
What to Expect
Once you are settled in your room, you
will be asked to disrobe and put on a hospital gown.
Do not bring any jewelry or other valuables to the hospital
the day of your procedure.
Your nurse will perform a physical exam,
which will include taking your vital signs and conducting
a brief neurological evaluation. An intravenous (IV)
line will be placed in your hand or arm, and you will
be asked to empty your bladder. When the time comes
for your test, a hospital transporter will help you
onto a cart and take you to the myelogram examination
room.
At this time, a radiology nurse or the
radiologist may give you a mild sedative to help you
relax. You will then be asked to lie on your side with
your knees pulled toward your chest so that your back
is slightly curved. For your comfort, a pillow may be
placed between your knees and another under your head.
Then the radiologist will begin the process
of removing a small amount of your cerebrospinal fluid
for laboratory analysis. He or she will use an antibacterial
solution to cleanse the selected insertion site on your
back or neck, then inject a local anesthetic to numb
the area. You may feel a burning sensation for a few
seconds when the anesthetic is injected. After the area
is numb, the radiologist will insert another needle
through your skin and into the fluid-filled space that
surrounds your spinal cord. You will not feel any sharp
pain, although you may feel as though someone is putting
pressure on your back. The radiologist will then use
the needle to withdraw the cerebrospinal fluid.
Next the radiologist will use a needle
to inject the contrast solution into the fluid-filled
space. This may cause increased pain in the area where
you already are experiencing pressure, but it is only
temporary and will end shortly.
You will then be asked to lie face down
on an examination table, and may be asked to place a
pillow under your abdomen. Since any movement during
the test can make the myelogram images blurry, the technologist
might place bands around your head and body to help
you remain still.
The radiologist will tilt the table in
different directions, allowing the dye to flow into
the area of the spinal canal that your CINN physician
wishes to study. You may be slightly uncomfortable as
the table tilts, especially if your feet are higher
than your head. Try not to move; these positions will
not last a long time. The radiologist will take a series
of x-rays at different tilt positions.
The myelogram takes 30 to 90 minutes to
complete. Afterward, you will be taken to another room
for the CT scan.
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