title: Electrophysiological recording of tendon reflexes in cervical myelopathy.
abstract: Twenty-six patients with unequivocal, clinically and radiologically confirmed cervical myelopathy were investigated electrophysiogically using needle electromyography (EMG), motor and sensory conduction velocity, F-wave latency and the electromyographic recording of the tendon reflexes (TR) of the biceps brachii, brachioradialis and triceps brachii muscles. Normal latency and amplitude values of the reflex evoked compound muscle potentials (T-wave) were calculated from 74 healthy volunteers. Pathological TR were found in 73.1% of the patients, while EMG--which was the next more effective method--was positive in 38.5% of the cases. Eight pathologically delayed T-waves were recorded from muscles with clinically normal or even exaggerated reflexes. TR recording appears to be a useful method in the assessment of segmental functional disturbance in cervical myelopathy.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Electromyography and Clinical Neurophysiology, Aeginition Hospital, Athens University, Greece.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Karandreas
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Piperos
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dimitriou
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kokotis
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zambelis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000503:physiopathology; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012026:Reflex, Stretch / Q000502:physiology*; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013128:Spinal Osteophytosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014459:Ulnar Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology