These are a broad range of injections that are used to predominantly treat pain.

These injections are performed using imaging guidance, from CT or Ultrasound, so that a needle may be placed either into a joint, or the surrounding soft tissues, such as tendons, muscles or bursae.

Shortly before your procedure you will be required to change into a gown. Before commencing the procedure, the Radiologist will explain the procedure. He will then ask you to sign a consent form.

You will lie either on your stomach or your side depending on the area to be injected. At this point it is important to do your best not to move. A CT scan will be done to localise the area. Your back will be cleaned with antiseptic solution and covered with a sterile drape.

After viewing the bones in your back using the CT scanner the Doctor will inject local anesthetic into your skin to numb the area. This may sting momentarily.

After the skin has been anesthetized a small needle will be directed into the area to be injected. When the needle is in the correct position the Doctor will inject the steroid. There may be some discomfort in the back at the time of injection. After the procedure a small dressing will be applied to the site of injection, which can be removed in 4 hours.

Do not drive, operate machinery or drink alcohol for 4 hours following your injection.

You may experience some temporary numbness at the injection site and down your legs.

Most patients experience pain relief immediately after the procedure because of the anesthetic used. This will usually wear off within 8 hours, and the pain may return again. The steroid normally takes between 2-5 days to take effect and start working.

Shortly before your procedure you will be required to change into a gown.

Before commencing the procedure, the Radiologist (Doctor) will explain the procedure, and any further questions you may have about the information on this sheet. He will then ask you to sign a consent form.

For CT guided biopsies, you will be placed on the CT scanner, and a short, low dose scan targeting the area required would be performed. This is used to locate the lesion and plan the biopsy. For lesions visible under ultrasound, the ultrasound machine is used to locate the lesion.

The Doctor will then inject local anesthetic into your skin to numb the area.

The Doctor will be able to guide the needle into the exact location of the lesion using the CT scanner/Ultrasound machine, which is shown on a video screen.

Samples are usually taken 3-4 times to ensure as many cells as possible are available for the Pathologist to view.

At the end of the test, the needle is removed. After the procedure a small dressing will be applied to the site of injection, which can be removed in 4 hours.

Occasionally, pain is experienced several hours after the procedure. Simple pain relief medication is recommended to treat this pain.

You should have someone to drive you home following this procedure.

Some biopsies require a period of observation following the procedure and you will be at the practice for at leats an hour following the biopsy.