The lumbosacral spine is the source of pain, suffering, and disability more frequently than any other part of the body. Pain in the lower back can be managed with computed tomography-guided analgesic interventional procedures, such as periradicular infiltration, percutaneous laser disk decompression, facet joint block, and percutaneous vertebroplasty. Periradicular injection of steroids provides short-term and sometimes even long-term relief of low back pain. Percutaneous laser disk decompression is used to treat radiculalgia caused by disk herniation. Facet joint block is useful in diagnosis and treatment of facet syndrome. Percutaneous vertebroplasty provides short- and long-term pain relief in patients with vertebral body disease. However, precise patient selection is essential to the success of each of these techniques. The interventional radiologist has an active role to play in minimally invasive management of lower back pain and should be part of an interdisciplinary team that determines the appropriate therapy.
Emphysematous pyelitis (EP) is a benign entity. To our knowledge, it has not been reported frequently in the radiology literature. Previous articles have not focused on EP but rather have included other gas-forming entities (eg, emphysematous pyelonephritis [EPN]). The authors describe imaging findings in EP and distinguish them from findings in EPN in five cases. Computed tomography is the current method for demonstrating isolated gas production inside the urinary collecting system. The prognosis is excellent, with rapid complete recovery after medical treatment.
