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Nerve Conduction Studies (NCS)

NCS employs surface electrical stimulation of peripheral nerves to determine if there are any abnormalities in function of these nerves.

NCS may assist in determining the disturbance in nerve function to determine if it is due to: (1) the covering or blanket surrounding the nerve called the myelin sheath or of (2) the nerve fibers proper which are called the axons.

Motor and sensory nerves are evaluated with nerve conduction studies by applying a supramaximal stimulus along the peripheral nerves at two sites, distal and proximal. Analysis includes assessing the amplitude and shape of the respective evoked motor and sensory responses, the time needed to evoke such responses (latency) and the speed of conduction of these peripheral nerves (conduction velocity).

F responses can also help determine the speed of conduction along the more proximal portions of the nerve.

Reflex studies such as the H reflexes aid in the localization of conduction abnormalities along proximal and/or distal segments of the spinal nerve roots such as the S1 nerve root.

Blink reflexes can help determine abnormalities in proximal and distal conduction along the facial nerve.
The results from a NCS can help localize the type, site, extent and degree of peripheral nerve involvement. NCS searches for nerve disease and/or damage by evaluating whether the nerves are functioning normally or abnormally. If there is nerve disease and/or damage, the NCS documents how many nerves are involved, identifies which nerves are involved, documents where they are involved, and documents the degree to which each individual nerve is involved.

Assimilation of information from NCS together with the results of the quantitative electromyography (QEMG) helps in the diagnosis of conditions of acute and chronic pain when peripheral nerves are involved. NCS also aids in the identification of peripheral nerve or muscle abnormalities, anterior horn cell diseases, root lesions, plexopathies, peripheral neuropathy, entrapment syndrome, neuromuscular junction abnormalities, and myopathies.

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What to Expect for Nerve Conduction Studies & Electromyography