Tests for infection status?

[paindoc]

I would first like to say that in no way am I advocating information taken off the internet be used to supercede the information you receive from your physician. It sounds like you've had an endoscopic discectomy, and are having continued pain. You doctor has ordered the ESR to determine if there is any inflammatory process occurring. The problem is that the ESR can be elevated by just performing the procedure. It is very non-specific and a c-reactive protien level in my opinion would be a better study. The bone scan was ordered to see if there is any evidence of discitis which is an infection in the disc space. This test is used to identify bone growth or destruction. It can show infection, tumor, and metastisis. A radioactive substance is injected and either not taken up "cold spot" or taken up "hot spot" by a particular tissue. If there is an infection there may be a "hot spot" at the endplates of the corresponding disc. Unfortunately, there studies are notoriously negative so that ifyours is negative it does not mean discitis is not present. A follow up MRI or CT scan may be in order to looka t endplate sclerosis. You may also see this on a plain film with disc space narrowing. Some physicians will also order a white blood count. The disc doe not have a blood supply, so the body may not be mounting a defense and therefore your WBC may also be normal. The diagnosis is often clinical. Symptoms of discitis are exqusite pain, fever, and often an unwillingness to ambulate. I hope this helps you understand a little better. If you have any spcific questions, your personal physician is your best resource.