An increasing number of pain procedures are performed by practitioners who are not formally trained, but have attended a workshop or two over weekend. Always look to have your pain procedure done by doctor who has gone for a pain fellowship, and not just any fellowship. These doctors will have alphabets such as FFPMANZCA, DAAPM, FIPP etc. behind their names. They will have spent the required time doing the training and exams in pain medicine so that they can do right by you. You wouldn’t sit in an airplane piloted by someone who took a flying course over the weekend. So look for the right person to care for your spine and nerves and painful discs.
Pain procedures can be done with fluoroscopy or ultrasound. Many radiologists utilize CT guidance but it is unnecessary in many cases and will mean subjecting you to increased doses of radiation. Some injections while doable with just using the landmark technique is now better done with ultrasound guidance to improve accuracy and avoid damage to surrounding structures. The ultrasound allows real-time visualization of the needle as it approaches its target, and allows the surrounding anatomy to be detailed.