Early x ray for low back pain confers little benefit

doi:10.1136/bmj.321.7275.1489/a

BMJ 2000;321:1489 ( 16 December )

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Early x ray for low back pain confers little benefit

Annabel Ferriman, BMJ
The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Routine early x ray examination for low back pain is expensive and confers little benefit, a new report from the Health TechnologyAssessment programme said lastweek.

The report describes and analyses the first randomised controlled trial based in UK general practice to have looked at whethera GP referral for radiography affects short and long term outcomesfor patients who consult with low backpain.

The trial, which involved 153 patients from 94 GP practices in London, showed few significant differences at six weeks orone year between patients who were referred for lumbar radiographyof the spine and those who werenot.

The team, which carried out the research from the department of general practice and primary care at St George's HospitalMedical School, London, said that referral for x ray examinationled to a small improvement in patients' psychological wellbeingover the next 12 months. It made no difference, however, . . . [Full text of this article]

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Agreement: Musaab Gh Yahia
bmj.com, 18 Dec 2000 [Full text]
Defensive medicine in America needs X-ray: Tim Richardson
bmj.com, 9 Nov 2001 [Full text]
Re: Defensive medicine in America needs X-ray: D A Fitzmaurice
bmj.com, 14 Nov 2001 [Full text]