1. A method for diagnosing a pain generator or a suspected pain generator in a patient suffering from neck or back pain, the method comprising labeling an inflammatory, vascular, neuronal, and/or metabolic pain marker at a location inside of or adjacent to an intervertebral disc in the patient suffering from back pain, allowing the labeled inflammatory, vascular, neuronal, and/or metabolic pain marker to bind the pain generator or suspected pain generator; and imaging the labeled inflammatory, vascular, neuronal, and/or metabolic pain marker bound to the pain generator or suspected pain generator in a manner sufficient to diagnose the pain generator or suspected pain generator.