title: Electrodiagnostic medicine.
abstract: Electrodiagnostic testing examines the physiologic integrity of the peripheral nervous system. However, such testing should represent only one part of an electrodiagnostic consultation in which the entire clinical context, including the history, physical examination, laboratory studies, and electrodiagnostic testing, is considered as a whole. Although each electrodiagnostic laboratory establishes its own normal values for nerve conduction studies and needle EMG, these values should not be used in isolation. The electrodiagnostic consultation can help narrow an otherwise broad differential diagnosis, confirm a suspected diagnosis, or help define a confusing clinical picture.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 53295.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Wertsch
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D004576:Electromyography; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012016:Reference Values; D013716:Tennis Elbow / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology