Transfemoral ascending lumbar catheterization of the epidural veins in lumbar disk disease. Clinical application and results in the diagnosis of herniated intervertebral disks of the lumbar spine

Epidural venography via selective catheterization of the ascending lumbar vein is presented as a new technique for the evaluation of herniated lumbar intervertebral disks. The authors use it as a complementary examination in patients with suspected disease but normal or equivocal myelographic findings. The accuracy of the technique in general equals that of myelography and exceeds it in lateral disk herniations, especially at the L5 S1 level.