Discrepancy between clinical-neurophysiological-neuroimaging examinations in lumbar spine degenerative disease: To the neurosurgeon the choice

Degenerative lumbar spinal surgery is preceded by diagnostic investigations, like clinical, radiological, neurophysiological ones. The presurgical evaluation is made easier by the concordance of the diagnostic investigations. In a percentage of cases, however, there is a discrepancy, especially with regard to the correlation between electromyography and neuroimaging. It is the case of a normal EMG and a CT or MRI showing the presence of a protrusion or a herniated disc.