MRI Lumbar Spine
Spine MRI Criteria
Please note routine Lumbar MRIs can now only be accessed by Spinal Interface. Please follow the Adult Low Back Pain guidelines for all cases.
Urgent MRIs can still be accessed and the criteria have been amended as below. Advice on presentations and conditions that do not require routine scanning are below.
MRI Lumbar Spine requests require all of the information in the corresponding boxes. The Radiology department will return the MRI request back to the referrer if the information is not provided or the criteria not met.
Emergency MRI
Urgent MRI
Lumbar MRI Advice
Routine MRI of the lumbar spine is not required for the following and as such it is not available:
- Isolated back pain
- Surveillance of known degenerative change
- Long standing non progressive symptoms
- Patients in whom surgical intervention is not a realistic prospect
- Prior to follow up outpatient appointments unless specifically requested
Contributors
- Dr Tom Sulkin, Consultant Radiologist, Royal Cornwall Hospital
- Stephen Iliffe, Extended Scope Spinal Physiotherapist, Spinal Interface Service, Cornwall NHS Partnership Foundation Trust
- Janine Kennedy, Extended Scope Spinal Physiotherapist, Spinal Interface Service, Three Spires Medical Practice, Truro
- Dr Joe Rintoul, General Practitioner, Kernow Referral Management Service
- Dr Rebecca Hopkins, General Practitioner, Kernow Referral Management Service
Review Date: 22/02/2022
Next Review: 22/02/2023