Which scan be a done if one has a metal plate in the spine?
Dr Ashok Khurana
Director, Genitourinary and Vascular Ultrasound,
The Ultrasound Lab,
New Delhi
Director, Genitourinary and Vascular Ultrasound,
The Ultrasound Lab,
New Delhi
Q: Which scan is best suited for a 70 years old patient with a metal plate in the cervical spine. The problem is in the L5-S1 part and there is back pain.
A:If the reference is to the cervical spine then it is likely that it is a screw or a pin and not a metal plate. In the case of screws or wires an MRI scan will not be possible and a CT scan would be able to give most of the information relevant to the treatment of the patient.