Hi

3 years ago I had a CT Scan and Pelvic Ultrasound for chronic and acute pelvic and low back pain that I have had since 2001. During both of the Scan and Ultrasound something was found according to both of the technicians (friends of my spouse) but said that my doctor would explain. The doctor contacted me about 3 days later and said everything was fine. I still have the pain and my doctor will not investigate any further.

Can someone look at my scans (I have them on disk) and let me know if I should continue to pursue or just drop it.

Thank you

Are you male or female?

First you need to see a physician and get updated tests because a ct and ultrasound are not good enough diagnostic tests to accurately diagnose back pain. You should have a MRI to begin with and based on those results possibly a discogram to follow. A MRI will determine degerenative disc disease as well as a whole host of other spinal disorders that cause back pain that will help in a physician in determining the best corse of treatment. A discogram is where usually a anesthesiologist with the use of a fluoroscope which is basically a live x-ray, will inject a die saline solution into the disc space looking to pressurize the disc space and are looking for the reproduction of your pain and or the solution leaking out of the disc space indicating tears in the discs walls, Oh yea did I say you are awake during this procedure, they give you a sedative but you have to be responsive to answer questions. Usually if they can reproduce your pain while pressurizing one of the lumbar discs for low back pain it might be in indication as where your pain is originating from and a disc fusion or replacement would be the next step maybe. Usually these recommendations come from a orthopedic surgeon and if you see one I would recommend seeing a spinal surgeon not a general orthopedic because it makes a world of difference when it comes to diagnostic skills.
Also not all of these tests are 100% and there are no guarantees on any of it. I injured my back in 1995, was an airline mechanic and have been on disability since 2000. I just had my second discogram a couple weeks ago and am getting conflicting opinions on spinal fusions. I have low back pain left leg pain,numbness and burning with degerenatice disc disease from L3 through S1 basically the entire lumbar area with advanced arthritis all over the place, I have disc tears at all levels but only a herniation and pinched nerve at L5-S1 with reproduced pain at that same level, now only a couple years ago I had a pinched nerve at L3-L4 and a herniation at that same level. I had been a pain clinic patient for nearly 8 years on mega dosages of narcotics that would kill a horse and have gotten off all narcotics 2 years ago and now am just dealing with pain. Lyrica medication seems to help about 20-30% but its better then nothing.
Take my advise, get updated tests. I was going to go see an orthopedic at University of Chicago and the last spine MRI I had was only 2 years ago and they told me that it was to old that I was to get a new mri before I came to see them because if I didn't the first thing the dr would do was order new films thus wasting an appointment. So when I went to see a local orthopedic at a spine center to get an evaluation I had to see his physician assistant first, he took x-rays in office and wrote a script for new mri films, only after I got the mri did I actually see the orthopedic surgeon. They don't waste the surgeons time usually with office visits without films as they have nothing to look, so yours only being a CT and ultrasound are basically useless and being 3 years old are totally outdated, if you have an HMO you have to go through the chain of command and go see your family physician, if he is worth anything he order an mri and refer you to an orthopedic or if you have a PPO go right to a orthopedic spine surgeon and he WILL order a MRI and some actually do their own discograms after that, some do not all depends on the DR...
remember technicians are just that, yea they can probably basically read the films to a small degree but true diagnosing comes from those with the alphabet after their name.
Good Luck...
Bill

Female, total hysterectomy 8 yrs ago