A Case For Earlier Access To Advanced Imaging

There is a prevailing sentiment in the pain medicine community that advanced imaging techniques like MRIs are over-utilized. While I tend to agree that given the current set of constraints dictated by the health care system that MRIs are overprescribed, this acknowledgement need not justify the demonization of anatomical/structural considerations that is beginning to pervade pain management as a field. I’ve been very critical of the manner in which painful conditions are reduced in medicine to single anatomical sites. That said, an MRI just provides information and with the right diagnostic and conceptual framework, more information is generally helpful, especially something that visually depicts the site of one’s pain.

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