SPINE INJECTION-TRANSFORAMINAL BLOCK, OPTIMAL VIEWS

SUMMARY

1. Keep the injection needle tip superior to avoid contacting the spinal nerve.

2. The needle tip should be visualized within the foramen on the lateral view and should avoid the vascular (V) structures in the ventral neural foramen.

3. Although variable in positioning, the radicular artery and intervertebral vein often lie just dorsal to the vertebral body.

4. Advancing the needle to the ventral floor of the neural foramen increases the likelihood of vascular injection.

Reference(s)

Furman, Michael B., and Leland Berkwits. Atlas of Image-Guided Spinal Procedures. Elsevier, Inc, 2017.
Horowitz AL. MRI Physics for Physicians. Springer Science & Business Media. (1989) ISBN:1468403338.
Mangrum W, Christianson K, Duncan S et-al. Duke Review of MRI Principles. Mosby. (2012) ISBN:1455700843.