The Appropriateness of Requests for Electroneuromyography Examinations
2 Acıbadem Üniversitesi, Sağlık Bilimleri Fakültesi, Fizyoterapi ve Rehabilitasyon Bölümü, Istanbul, Türkiye
3 Başkent Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Fiziksel Tıp ve Rehabilitasyon Anabilim Dalı, Ankara
Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of electroneuromyography (ENMG) in the diagnosis of patients and the appropriateness of the referral diagnosis.
Materials and Methods: This study was carried out in the physical medicine and rehabilitation department, over one year period. Data were obtained from hospital records. The specialty of physician who had requested the ENMG, referral diagnosis and the results of ENMG were evaluated.
Results: In our study 1216 patients (404 males, 812 females) were evaluated. 92.2% of the patients had been sent for ENMG by physical medicine and rehabilitation, neurology, neurosurgery and orthopaedia specialists. Carpal tunnel syndrome was the main referral diagnosis (40.7%). A little group of patients (2.4%) had no referral diagnosis and few patients were referred with symptoms. There was a concordance between the referral diagnosis and the results of ENMG, in 46.4% of the patients. The ENMG results were normal in 37.3% of the patients.
Conclusion: The high ratio of normal ENMG study and low concordance between referral diagnosis and results of ENMG indicate unnecessary requests of ENMG.
Keywords : Electroneuromyography, request appropriateness