Outpatient lumbar myelography with metrizamide.

A prospective study of 70 adult patients was undertaken to determine whether lumbar metrizamide myelography can be performed as an outpatient procedure without an increased incidence of side effects and without undue risk. In selected patients and with a specific protocol, the incidence of common sequelae was similar to that in previous studies of inpatients either in bed with the head elevated or ambulatory after lumbar metrizamide myelography. No patient in this series experienced seizures or other severe complications. This approach provided increased cost effectiveness without increased risk.