Hoag Neurophysiology Department

Hoag Neurophysiology Department evaluates disorders of the Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems.

To evaluate the brain, spinal cord and cranial nerves we use tests that record the movements of electricity along the Central Nervous System (CNS). These tests include various forms of Electroencephalogram (EEG), Evoked Potentials, and Electrodiagnostic testing.

At Hoag, neurophysiologic testing is performed by licensed ___ in a comfortable setting.

Types of EEG available at Hoag

For outpatients not admitted to the hospital:

• Routine EEG testing – using small recording wires, brain waves are monitored for approximately 20 minutes to identify seizures or a risk for seizures. Click here to learn more about EEG testing.
• Prolonged EEG testing – when routine testing is not adequate, a longer duration of testing may be necessary to identify seizures or a risk of seizures.
• Ambulatory EEG testing – when the events, or presumed seizures, only happen during activities such as standing, ambulatory testing may be employed to capture the events. Again, the information is mainly used to diagnosis seizures or a risk of seizures.

• Comprehensive Epilepsy Monitoring unit – we reserve this test for patients who may qualify for epilepsy surgery or for those whose diagnosis of seizures is unclear or debilitating. These patients are expected to stay in the hospital until enough events are captured to assure their physician that the correct diagnosis and treatment plan are in place. In most cases, patients remain in the epilepsy monitoring unit for three to five days.

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Types of Evoked Potentials available at Hoag

• Visual Evoked potentials – typically used to support a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis or Neuromyelitis Optica (Devic’s syndrome).
• Auditory Evoked potentials – typically for patients with hearing loss from nerve damage.
• Somatosensory Evoked Potentials – many uses to evaluate the CNS and Peripheral Nervous System.

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Electrodiagnostic testing for disorders of the nerves, muscles or neuromuscular junctions

• EMG and NCS – these tests can be used to differentiate a problem with the nerves (such as neuropathy) from a problem of the muscles (such as myopathy). Since these tests can be difficult to interpret, they are designated as physician-dependent procedures. Although the tests have technical limitations, they are very useful in detecting conditions that may benefit from specialized treatment, such as chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP).

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