Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Magnetic Resonance Myelography in the Presurgical Diagnosis of Lumbar Foraminal Stenosis.

A retrospective study is presented which aims to measure the diagnostic performance of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance myelography (MRM) for symptomatic foraminal stenosis in patients who need spinal nerve root surgery. Results show that the sensitivity, specificity, and the positive and negative predictive value of the MRI were 92%, 83%, 7% and 100%, respectively. For spinal nerve swelling on the MRM, the values were 60%, 99%, 35% and 99%, respectively.