Overview

A discogram, also called discography, is an imaging test used to evaluate back pain. A discogram might help your doctor determine if a specific abnormal disk in your spine is causing your back pain.

Spinal disks are spongelike cushions between the bones (vertebrae) of the spine. During a discogram, dye is injected into the soft center of one or more disks. The injection sometimes reproduces your back pain.

The dye also moves into any cracks in the disk's exterior, which can then be seen on an X-ray or CT scan. However, disks that show signs of wear and tear don't always cause symptoms, so the usefulness of a discogram is controversial.