Pre-, Intra-, and Postprocedure Nursing Care and Assessment of Patients Undergoing Diagnostic Neuroradiological Procedures

Many patients with back pain are referred to the radiology department for invasive diagnostic testing before spinal surgery. The most common of these procedures are epidural injection, selective nerve root injection, facet joint injection, and provocative discography. With the exception of discography, these procedures are therapeutic as well as diagnostic, providing symptomatic relief for up to 6 months. This article discusses the purpose and method of these procedures, as well as the relative pre-, intra-, and postprocedure care and assessments.