EMG and NCV

• Nerve Conduction Study (NCS) is a test commonly used to evaluate the function
of the motor and sensory nerves of the human body.
• Nerve Conduction Velocity (NCV) is a common measurement made during this
test.
• NCS are used mainly for evaluation of paresthesias (numbness, tingling, burning)
or weakness of arms and legs.
• Some indications of NCS are :
• Symptoms indicative of nerve damage as numbness and weakness.
Procedure
• This test is non invasive.
• Anaesthesia is not used in this procedure.
• No special post procedure precautions.
• This test can be combined with EMG depending on the symptoms.
NCS consist of following components:
• Compound motor action potentials(CMAP),also called motor nerve conduction study.
• Sensory nerve action potentials(SNAP),also called sensory nerve action potentials.
• F-Wave Study
• H-Reflex study
• Evoked Potentials
• Motor Responses
The motor response is obtained by stimulating a nerve and recording from a muscle that it innervates.The
muscle selected should have a fairly well-defined motor point, and preferably be relatively isolated from
other muscles innervated by the nerve and from other nerves that may be stimulated inadvertently during the
test.

The motor response may be characterized by its amplitude, duration, and wave form. The amplitude is
measured from the baseline to the top of the negative peak of the motor response and is expressed in
millivolts.
The distal latency is measured from the onset of the stimulus artifact to the point of takeoff from the
baseline and is measured in milliseconds.
SENSORY NERVE ACTION POTENTIAL
• Sensory-nerve action potentials (NAP) are obtained by stimulating a nerve and recording directly from it
or one of its branches. The recording site must be remote from muscles innervated by that same nerve
because muscle responses will obscure the much smaller NAP.

• The NAP can also be characterized by it amplitude, duration, and wave form. The amplitude of the NAP
is measured from the peak of the positive deflection the peak of the negative deflection and is measured
in microvolts. The sensory distal latency is traditionally measured from the stimulus artifact to the
takeoff or the peak of the negative deflection.
• Distal Latency
Defined as the time from the stimulus affecting the nerve to the response (motor or sensory) being
recorded, latency is usually measured in milliseconds (msec). Distal latency is that interval measured
from the stimulation of the distal-most accessible site on the nerve.

• Conduction Velocity
If a nerve can be stimulated at two points along its course, and a measurement can be obtained of the
distance between those points, conduction velocities can be figured.
• Compute the velocity (V) by measuring the distance (d) in millimeters (mm) between the two
stimulation points and dividing by the difference in latency (ms) between the proximal (tp) and distal
stimulation points (td), as indicated in this equation

V=d/tp-td

• Conduction velocities in the various nerves differ, depending on anatomical considerations.

NERVES STUDIED IN THE UPPER
EXTREMITIES
 Median Nerve
• Median Nerve
The sensory response can be recorded from the thumb, index, middle or ring fingers (combination of
median and ulnar fibers). The motor response is recorded from the abductor pollicis brevis (APB) muscle.

• Work with the index finger first. Place the active ring/wire electrode over the middle of the proximal
phalanx and the reference electrode over the middle of the intermediate phalanx. Select a point 13 cm.
proximal to the active electrode over the median nerve at the wrist for stimulation
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