EMG/NCS Flashcards
Bipolar neurons
sensory neurons, LT, pin prickproprioception, bipolar have an axon and a dendrite extending from cell body towards opposite poles…
second order neurons of dorsal column pathway (touch/pressure)
cuneate and gracile nuclei of medulla…then decussate and continue as medial lemniscus and then synapse onto thalamus which extend up to PARIETAL sensory cortex
Second order neurons of spinothalamic pathway (pain/temp)
substantia gelatinosa..then cells decussate and rise as spinothalamic tract until they synapse onto thalamus and then project into the PARIETAL sensory cortex
CV upper and lower ext
50 upper ext, 40 m/s lower ext, decr 2 m/s per decade after 50 yo
Low freq filter is aka
high pass filter
If you lower high freq filter or raise low freq one— amplitude is decreased
shortens peak latency
Sensory NCS filter settings
20-2000 Hz
Motor NCS filter settings
10- 10,000 Hz…..another resource says 2Hz-10kHz
H reflex
stim IA sensory afferent nerve in pop fossa, TRUE reflex
submax stim at a LONG duration (f wave is short duration and supramax)
A wave (axon reflex)
somewhere between F wave and actual CMAP motor response, same spot each time……collateral sprouting pathway so means reinnervation has occurred
concentric electrodes
small listening area, reference is attached, larger/more painful…..less interference
monopolar
broad listening area 360 area
Insertional activity
should be static, crisp…so in duchenne insertional activity will be decr bc of fibrosis……if there is active denervation then insertional activity will be increased (its already irritated and youre irritating it more)
normal duration of insertional activity is 300 ms
in demyelinating injuries: normal insertional activity
axonal: abnormal
Resting activity
fibs/sharp waves heard in this state
fasiculations- anterior horn cell dz, or normal human
myokymia- involuntary, abrupt, regular, marching potentials tightly grouped together, seen in upper trunk radiation plexopathy
complex repetitive discharges
similar to myokymia but closer together and very serrated like a saw , due to denervation then reinnervation, ‘‘ephaptic transmission’’, seen in chronic radic, anterior horn dz, normal patients
Myotonic discharges
involuntary, amplitude steadily decr as muscle fiber fires, ‘‘divebomber’’, seen in myotonic dystrophy, paramyotonia, myotonia congenita AND hyperkalemic periodic paralysis, acid maltase deficiency
Recruitment
activating alpha motor neurons, smallest motor units activated first, then huge type II fibers activated with max intensity . normal firing rate 5 hz, if you incr contraction this motor unit will incr firing rate to 10 hz and you will now recruit a second motor unit that starts firing at 5 hz …. you should be able to get 4 MUAPs on the screen firing 20/15/10/5 Hz
Decreased recruitment
if axonal damage, there will now be increased rate of firing, firing rates of 30, 40, 50 Hz with only 1-2 muaps on screen DOING ALL THE WORK, neuropathic recruitment pattern, polyphasia (more than 5 crossing)
LDLA
large amplitude, long duration = neuropathic MUAPs
LDLA
neuropathic MUAPs
SDSA
myopathic recruitment pattern, all muscle fibers to get a contraction, small ants all of them to move one thing
Reduced duration motor unit potentials are specific for myopathies along with small amplitude, polyphasic and early recruitment.
demyelination
NCS prolonged latency, decr CV, incr temp dispersion
EMG: Normal (if no conduction block) vs decreased recruitment (if conduction block present)
axon loss
NCS: Decr amplitude (possibly decr CV if fastest fibers are destroyed)
ENG: Decr recruitment, PW/Fibs, increased insertional activity
Axonal vs wallerian degeneration
wallerian degeneration is anterograde process, complete by 5 (motor) -10 days (sensory)
Axonal is retrograde process- diabetes
Conduction block
distal amplitude higher than proximal
Neurotmesis
Seddon level 5
complete transection of nerve through epineurium, worst prognosis..absent recruitment