All subjects will undergo ordinary surgical treatment for their lumbar disc herniation. Experimentally, all subjects participating in the study will receive PET/CT scans and sensory testing as specified below.

Patient receive a PET/CT scan of their cerebrum and lumbar spine prior to surgery, 4-6 weeks after surgery and 6 months after surgery

The 3-level version of EQ-5D (EQ-5D-3L) was introduced in 1990 by the EuroQol Group.

The EQ-5D-3L descriptive system comprises the following five dimensions: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression. Each dimension has 3 levels: no problems, some problems, and extreme problems. The patient is asked to indicate his/her health state by ticking the box next to the most appropriate statement in each of the five dimensions. This decision results into a 1-digit number that expresses the level selected for that dimension. The digits for the five dimensions can be combined into a 5-digit number that describes the patient's health state.

The EQ VAS records the patient's self-rated health on a vertical visual analogue scale where the endpoints are labelled 'Best imaginable health state' and 'Worst imaginable health state'. The VAS can be used as a quantitative measure of health outcome that reflects the patient's own judgement.

The Oswestry Disability Index (also known as the Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire) is an extremely important tool that researchers and disability evaluators use to measure a patient's permanent functional disability. The test is considered the 'gold standard' of low back functional outcome tools.

0% to 20%: minimal disability: The patient can cope with most living activities.

21%-40%: moderate disability: The patient experiences more pain and difficulty with sitting, lifting and standing. Travel and social life are more difficult, and they may be disabled from work. 41%-60%: severe disability: Pain remains the main problem in this group but activities of daily living is affected. These patients require a detailed investigation. 61%-80%: crippled: Back pain impinges on all aspects of the patient's life. 81%-100%: These patients are either bed-bound or exaggerating their symptoms.

Both leg and back.

Measure 0-100. 0 being no pain. 100 being worst imaginable pain.