Chronic Pain Syndrome Workup

Updated: Jan 14, 2020
  • Author: Manish K Singh, MD; Chief Editor: Stephen Kishner, MD, MHA  more...
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Workup

Approach Considerations

The decision to perform any laboratory or imaging evaluations is based on the need to confirm the diagnosis and to rule out other potentially life-threatening illnesses. Sometimes certain investigations are needed to provide appropriate and safe medical or surgical treatment. The recommended treatment should be based on clinical findings or changes in examination findings.

Extreme care should be taken during diagnostic testing for chronic pain syndrome (CPS). Carefully review prior testing to eliminate unnecessary repetition.

Routine complete blood count (CBC), urinalysis, and selected tests for suspected disease are important. Urine or blood toxicology is important for drug detoxification, as well as opioid therapy.

Imaging studies

Imaging studies, including with radiography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and computed tomography (CT) scanning, are important tools in the workup of patients with CPS. (See the images below.)

Sagittal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of Sagittal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the cervical spine in a patient with cervical radiculopathy. This image reveals a C6-C7 herniated nucleus pulposus.
Axial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the Axial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the cervical spine in a patient with cervical radiculopathy. This image reveals a C6-C7 herniated nucleus pulposus.
Osteoarthritis of the knee, Kellgren stage III. Osteoarthritis of the knee, Kellgren stage III.
Oblique view of the cervical spine demonstrates 2 Oblique view of the cervical spine demonstrates 2 levels of foraminal stenosis (white arrows) resulting from facet hypertrophy (yellow arrow) and uncovertebral joint hypertrophy.
T1-weighted sagittal magnetic resonance imaging (M T1-weighted sagittal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the cervical spine in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis shows basilar invagination with cranial migration of an eroded odontoid peg. There is minimal pannus. The tip of the peg indents the medulla, and there is narrowing of the foramen magnum, due to the presence of the peg. Inflammatory fusion of several cervical vertebral bodies is shown.