Neurodiagnostics is the study and recording of electrical activity in the brain, the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. Recording the electrical activity of these nervous systems provide critical information that can aid in the diagnosis and treatment of neurological problems ranging from epilepsy, headaches, head and spinal injuries, seizures, sleep disorders, strokes and unexplained comas.
The most common procedures that neurodiagnostic technologists perform are the electroencephalogram, long term monitoring, intraoperative neuromonitoring, the polysomnogram, evoked potential studies, and nerve conduction studies. The electroencephalogram [EEG] is the most frequently performed procedure.
In conducting an EEG, highly sensitive monitoring equipment records the activity through electrodes that are placed at measured intervals on a patient’s scalp. The test is not painful and usually takes about 90 minutes. The principal role of the patient is simply to remain still, relaxed, and comfortable. During the test, the patient may be asked to take repeated deep breaths [hyperventilate] and/or be shown a strobe light that flashes at different speeds. It is very helpful to record sleep, so the patient may be asked to stay awake extra hours the night before the test. All these activities can help reveal different brain patterns that are useful for diagnosis.
