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At least 1,711 records · Page 95Linked to original sources
PubMed2002

Utility and accuracy of template-directed dye-terminator incorporation with fluorescence-polarization detection for genotyping single nucleotide polymorphisms.

There are little independent data available about how well single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping technologies perform in the typical molecular genetics laboratory. We evaluated the utility and accuracy of a widely used technology, template-directed dye-terminator incorporation with fluorescence-polarization detection (FP-TDI), in a sample of 177 SNPs selected solely on the basis of map location. Genotypes were generated without optimization using standard protocols. Overall, 81% of the SNPs we studied generated readable genotypes by FP-TDI. Thirty-two SNPs were genotyped in duplicate by PCR-RFLP orfluorescent dye-terminator sequencing. Out of a total of 631 duplicate genotypes, no true discrepancies were detected. The true error rate has a 95% chance of lying between 0 and 6 out of 1000 genotypes. We also tested for deviations from Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium in 33 SNPs genotyped in 50 unrelated individuals, and no significant deviations were detected. Our FP-TDI data were readily adaptable to automated genotype calling using our own method of cluster analysis, which assigns a probability score to each genotype call. We conclude that FP-TDI is both efficient and accurate. The method can easily fill the needs of SNP genotyping projects at the scale typically used for regional or candidate-gene association studies.

Fluorescence Polarization↗
PubMed2005

Direct detection of angioinvasive pulmonary aspergillosis in immunosuppressed patients: preliminary results with high-resolution 16-MDCT angiography.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to optimize detection of angioinvasive pulmonary aspergillosis by showing direct vessel involvement at a peripheral level with high-resolution MDCT angiography in patients with antibiotic-resistant fever of unknown origin under immunosuppression. Twelve CT angiographic examinations were prospectively performed in 10 patients with an optimized CT angiography protocol with 16-MDCT after IV administration of contrast agent using care bolus (Siemens Medical Solutions). Axial images and maximum intensity projections were evaluated for vascular occlusion by an experienced radiologist blinded to the clinical histories. Results were correlated with histology and clinical follow-up data including follow-up CT. Fourteen focal pulmonary lesions were detected by CT in eight patients. Eight of 14 lesions were confirmed by histology. In the remaining six lesions, diagnosis was made by clinical and CT follow-up. In nine of nine lesions in which angioinvasive infection was excluded, CT angiography showed patent vessels. In four of five lesions with histologically proven fungal angioinvasion, vascular occlusion was detected on CT angiography. CONCLUSION: High-resolution MDCT angiography has been shown to be a feasible technique to depict directly vessel occlusion in the setting of suspected fungal infections, especially for early diagnosis of angioinvasive pulmonary aspergillosis in immunosuppressed patients.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Radiation-induced apoptosis: predictive and therapeutic significance in radiotherapy of prostate cancer (review).

Current therapy for advanced prostate cancer is hampered by the propensity of the disease to progress from an androgen-dependent state to an androgen-independent state. Current treatment for advanced disease is palliative. Therefore, the therapeutic goal for prostate cancer treatment today is to arrest the disease at an early state when it is still localized to the gland. The standard treatment for clinically localized disease is radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy by way of external beam irradiation or local radioactive seed implants (brachytherapy). In advanced disease, the use of radiation therapy is limited to palliation of pain secondary to bone metastases and for spinal cord compression. Tracking residual disease and predicting outcome is limited to following the level of prostate specific antigen (PSA) production, evaluating for bone or solid organ metastasis, and analyzing their preoperative clinical stage, PSA and Gleason's score. Apoptosis as a molecular process of genetically regulated cell death has a critical endpoint that coincides with the goal of successful treatment of human malignancies. Since in cancer treatment the therapeutic goal is to trigger tumor-selective cell death, activation of the apoptotic pathway in prostatic tumor cells offers attractive and potentially effective therapeutic targets. As our understanding of the vital role of apoptosis in the development and growth of the prostate gland has expanded, numerous genes that encode apoptotic regulators have been identified that are severely impaired in prostate tumors. Human prostate cancer cells undergo apoptosis in response to androgen ablation, chemotherapeutic agents and ionizing irradiation. The expression of apoptotic modulators within individual prostate tumors appears to correlate with the cancer cell's sensitivity to traditional therapeutic modalities, including radiotherapy. No strict correlation between radiation-induced apoptosis and longevity of prostate cancer patients has emerged, possibly because the ability to achieve an initial remission alone does not adequately predict long-term outcome and patient survival. In this review we summarize the current understanding of the effects of radiation therapy on prostatic tumor cells within the context of the therapeutic significance of radiation-induced apoptosis in the effective elimination of androgen independent prostate cancer cells. As we enter a new millenium, identification of distinct molecular markers predictive of therapeutic response of prostatic tumors to radiation therapy may afford alternative prognostic indicators in optimizing our treatment protocols for advanced disease.

Apoptosis↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A pilot study of radiation therapy combined with daily low-dose cisplatin for esophageal cancer.

From March 1992 to October 1997, a total of 38 patients with histologically proven esophageal cancer received combination therapy of daily low-dose cisplatin (CDDP) and radiation therapy. The clinical stages (UICC 1997) were I in 3, IIA,B in 13, III in 13, and IVA in 9 patients. CDDP (5 mg/m2) was administered intravenously with 100 ml saline 30 min before each irradiation from Monday to Friday. All patients received at least 60 Gy of radiation therapy. The average number of CDDP administrations was 23, and the mean total CDDP dose was 115 mg/m2. Of the 38 patients, 14 patients completed full course of chemoradiation therapy. The overall survival rates at 1, 2, and 5 years were 51%, 19%, and 8%, respectively. The median survival period was 12 months. The objective response rate was 82% with 11 (29%) CR. Survival of the stage II-IVA patients who received daily low-dose CDDP and radiation therapy was a little better than that of historical control patients who were treated by radiation therapy alone. Most of the patients experienced nausea. Grade 3 esophagitis was observed in two (5%) patients. Grade 4 leukocytopenia and thorobocytopenia were observed in one (3%) and two (5%) of the patients, respectively. Except for leukocytopenia (18%), frequencies of toxicity of grade 3 or more were less than 10%. Although the results indicate that daily low-dose CDDP combined with radiation therapy may slightly improve the survival of esophageal cancer patients with acceptable toxicity, further efforts should be made to optimize clinical trial protocols. Escalation of daily CDDP dose should be considered to obtain a more effective radiosensitizing effect.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

The fate of low affinity tumor-specific CD8+ T cells in tumor-bearing mice.

A major challenge in tumor immunology is how best to activate the relatively low avidity self-specific and tumor-specific T cells that are available in the self-tolerant repertoire. To address this issue, we produced a TCR transgenic mouse expressing a class I-restricted hemagglutinin (HA)-specific TCR (clone 1 TCR) derived from a mouse that expressed HA as a self-Ag in the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreatic islets (InsHA) mice. Upon transfer of clone 1 TCR CD8(+) T cells into InsHA mice, very few cells were activated by cross-presented HA, indicating that the cells were retained in InsHA mice because they ignored the presence of Ag, and not because they were functionally inactivated by anergy or tuning. Upon transfer into recipient mice in which HA is expressed at high concentrations as a tumor-associated Ag in spontaneously arising insulinomas (RIP-Tag2-HA mice), a high proportion of clone 1 cells were activated when they encountered cross-presented tumor Ag in the pancreatic lymph nodes. However, the activated cells exhibited very weak effector function and were soon tolerized. The few activated cells that did migrate to the tumor were unable to delay tumor progression. However, when HA-specific CD4 helper cells were cotransferred with clone 1 cells into RIP-Tag2-HA recipients and the mice were vaccinated with influenza, clone 1 cells were found to exert a significant level of effector function and could delay tumor growth. This tumor model should prove of great value in identifying protocols that can optimize the function of low avidity tumor-specific T cells.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Temperature gradient gel electrophoresis of the amplified product of a small 16S rRNA gene fragment for the identification of Listeria species isolated from food.

The development of a rapid method for the identification of Listeria spp. is described. It is based on the polymerase chain reaction amplification of a small fragment from the 16S rRNA gene followed by temperature gradient gel electrophoresis. Forty-five strains of Listeria spp. (Listeria monocytogenes, Listeria innocua, Listeria ivanovii, Listeria seeligeri, and Listeria welshimeri) were used for the optimization of the protocol. No differences were observed between the results of the identification of the strains tested using traditional methods and those obtained by polymerase chain reaction-temperature gradient gel electrophoresis analysis.

Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Hamstring strains in athletes: diagnosis and treatment.

Hamstring strains are among the most common injuries (and reinjuries) in athletes. Studies combining electromyography with gait analysis have elucidated the timing of activity of the three muscles of the hamstring group; they function during the early-stance phase for knee support, during the late-stance phase for propulsion, and during midswing to control the momentum of the leg. Muscle injury, whether partial or complete, occurs at the myotendinous junction, where force is concentrated. The healing response begins with inflammation, associated edema, and localized hemorrhage. After an initial period of reduced tension, the healing muscle regains strength rapidly as long as reinjury does not occur. Although the use of anti-inflammatory medication is a keystone of treatment, a certain degree of inflammation is necessary for removing necrotic muscle fibers and rescaffolding to allow optimal recovery. The protocol of rest, ice, compression, and elevation is still the preferred first-aid approach. After a brief period of immobilization (usually less than 1 week for even the most severe strain), mobilization is begun to properly align the regenerating muscle fibers and limit the extent of connective tissue fibrosis. Concurrent pain-free stretching and strengthening exercises (beginning with isometrics and progressing to isotonics and isokinetics) are essential to regain flexibility and prevent further injury and inflammation. Readiness for return to competition can be assessed by isokinetic testing to confirm that muscle-strength imbalances have been corrected, the hamstring-quadriceps ratio is 50% to 60%, and the strength of the injured leg has been restored to within 10% of that of the unaffected leg. The only indication for surgery is a complete rupture at or near the origin from the ischial tuberosity or distally at its insertion (either soft-tissue avulsion with a large defect or bone avulsion with displacement by 2 cm).

Athletic Injuries↗
PubMed1999

Selection of treatment of cefaclor-associated urticarial, serum sickness-like reactions and erythema multiforme by emergency pediatricians: lack of a uniform standard of care.

BACKGROUND: Serum sickness-like reactions (SSLR) and erythema multiforme are common adverse effects of cefaclor therapy and can be associated with significant morbidity. No standardized evidence-based protocol for the optimal treatment of drug-induced SSLR exists. OBJECTIVES: To define the standard of care used by physicians treating adverse reactions associated with cefaclor. METHODS: A retrospective review of the medical records of children discharged from a pediatric emergency room with a diagnosis of adverse events to cefaclor was conducted. Charts of patients were reviewed to determine which therapy was prescribed. RESULTS: During the study period, 74 cases of adverse events attributed to cefaclor presented to the emergency department. SSLR were the most common pattern of adverse events seen (31 cases, 42%), followed by urticarial reactions (26 cases, 35%) and erythema multiforme (17 cases, 23%). An antihistamine was the treatment most often prescribed (88%) for erythema multiforme. Significantly more children with SSLR than with erythema multiforme or urticaria were treated with prednisone, either alone or in combination (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The treatment most often prescribed for serious cefaclor-associated erythema multiforme was an antihistamine. In the case of SSLR, an antihistamine and prednisone were most commonly used. Prospective randomized, controlled trials are needed to define the role of various therapeutic agents and to determine the optimal therapy for SSLR and other serious adverse drug reactions.

Cefaclor↗
PubMed1999

[Maternal blood fetal cells: new noninvasive approach in prenatal diagnosis of hereditary diseases].

A new noninvasive approach to prenatal diagnosis of hereditary diseases is being actively developed, which is based on the use of different fetal cells contained in pregnant females. Due to the fact that the native concentration of fetal cells is extremely low, their isolation requires the application of different know-how enrichment and sorting techniques. Either the FISH method with chromosome-specific probes or PCR is used to examine the cell fraction isolated, which detects fetal sex, Mendelian disorders such as beta-globin mutations. Promising results in the prenatal diagnosis of chromosomal aneuploidies were achieved in isolating and examining fetal erythroblasts. The results of numerous studies on the optimization of a protocol for isolating and reliably examining fetal cells from the blood of pregnant females allow the new noninvasive approach to the prenatal diagnosis of hereditary diseases to be considered to be highly promising.

Blood Cells↗
PubMed2000

Follow-up regimen of differentiated thyroid carcinoma in thyroidectomized patients after thyroid hormone withdrawal.

UNLABELLED: For differentiated, nonmedullary thyroid carcinoma, postsurgical ablation of thyroid remnants and treatment of residual tumor and metastases with 131I is a potentially curative therapy. The aim of this study was to optimize the diagnostic protocol for the follow-up of thyroidectomized patients. METHODS: Two hundred fifty-four patients (187 females, 67 males; mean age, 45 y; range, 8-83 y) were studied retrospectively for a mean follow-up period of 2.7 y (range, 1-12.5 y). An evaluation study consisted of a low-dose 131I diagnostic procedure under hyperthyroid conditions (thyroid-stimulating hormone > 30 MicroU/mL), 201TI scintigraphy, and measurement of thyroglobulin (Tg) under hypothyroid conditions. A total of 254 preablation studies (1 study per patient) and 586 follow-up studies (average number of studies, 2.3 per patient) were evaluated. RESULTS: Before ablation, low-dose 131I screening was useful to estimate the size of the thyroid remnant. Low Tg levels (<10 pmol/L) indicated the absence of metastases. After ablation, undetectable Tg levels indicated the absence of tumor recurrence. When Tg levels were high (>10 pmol/L), local recurrence or metastases were always observed, providing the basis for additional high-dose 131I therapy. In these patients, 201TI imaging did not provide a significant contribution to patient management. In the case of autoantibodies against Tg, both low-dose 131I screening and 201TI scintigraphy may be advocated to allow an aggressive diagnostic work-up. CONCLUSION: Tg plays a key role in follow-up and in making decisions to treat patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma. The role of 201TI imaging is very limited. In patients with negative low-dose 131I screening, 201TI scintigraphy can be considered when Tg is elevated or cannot be evaluated because of autoantibodies against Tg. Under such circumstances, administration of a therapeutic 131I dose without 201TI imaging can be considered.

Adenocarcinoma, Follicular↗
PubMed2000

[Chronic intracerebral stimulation and abnormal movements: why and when? Major therapeutic advances in the 90s].

TECHNICAL ASPECTS: Surgical procedures for abnormal movements progressively evolved toward microinvasive techniques performed under stereotaxic control. The next advance was the development of well-tolerated intracerebral stimulation with reversible effects. The quality of the results depends on optimal definition of the stimulation target. Optimally, the surgical protocol includes stereotaxic ventriculography to identify targets followed by electrical activity recordings of the structures crossed by the electrode. Finally, a minute study of the stimulation effects is performed under sterotaxic control while the patient is awake. PARKINSON'S DISEASES: Indications for thalamic stimulation in Parkinson's disease have given way to subthalamic stimulation which improves tremor, bradykinesia and rigidity simultaneously. This result confirms the implication of the subthalamic nucleus in the pathogenesis of Parkinson syndromes. The palladium may be stimulated in Parkinson's patients with major iatrogenic involuntary movements. ESSENTIAL TREMOR: Thalamic stimulation is indicated for essential tremor. The efficacy of chronic stimulation is currently under evaluation in other indications.

Cerebral Cortex↗
PubMed2000

Depletion of tumor oxygenation during photodynamic therapy: detection by the hypoxia marker EF3 [2-(2-nitroimidazol-1[H]-yl)-N-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyl)acetamide ].

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) of tumors can create hypoxia when oxygen is depleted by photochemical consumption or the oxygen supply is compromised by microvascular damage. However, oxygen is a requirement for PDT, and hypoxia during illumination can lead to poorer tumor response. As such, sensitive methods of quantifying tumor oxygen and evaluating its distribution may help in the development and optimization of treatment protocols. In this study, the hypoxia marker EF3 [2-(2-nitroimidazol-1[H]-yl)-N-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyl)acetam ide] was used to evaluate the oxygenation of PDT-treated radiation-induced fibrosarcoma tumors. Tumor-bearing mice were administered Photofrin (5 mg/kg) 24 h before PDT illumination at 75 mW/cm2, 135 J/cm2 (30 min). EF3 (52 mg/kg) was injected either within 3 min before PDT illumination, with tumor excision at the conclusion of illumination, or within 3 min after illumination, with tumor excision 30 min later. Control animals received EF3 alone, EF3 plus Photofrin, or EF3 plus illumination. After tumor disaggregation, staining with a fluorochrome-conjugated monoclonal antibody, and flow cytometric analysis, control tumors demonstrated an averaged median fluorescence intensity (+/- SE) of 17.1 +/- 2.8. EF3 binding significantly (P = 0.007) increased during PDT to a median fluorescence intensity of 48.9 +/- 8.3. In the 30 min after PDT, EF3 binding returned to control levels (median, 18.3 +/- 3.3). To evaluate the oxygen concentrations corresponding to these fluorescence intensities, an in vitro standard curve was created based on the in vivo exposure conditions. From this curve, the oxygen tensions of tumors exposed to EF3 under control conditions, during PDT, or after PDT were calculated to be 3.1-5.3, 1.2-2.4, and 3.0-5.2 mm Hg, respectively. Detection of EF3 binding using a monoclonal antibody correlated well with direct detection of binding using a radioactive assay. EF3 binding was linear with drug incubation for times from 1.5 to 60 min. Overall, this work demonstrates that hypoxia during PDT illumination of radiation-induced fibrosarcoma tumors can be detected by the hypoxia marker EF3. Hypoxia during illumination can be labeled separately from that found before or after PDT. Tissue oxygen tensions corresponding to EF3 binding levels can be calculated.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Aberrant expression of cell-cycle regulatory proteins in human mesenchymal neoplasia.

We previously demonstrated that approximately one-half of soft-tissue sarcomas were devoid of either pRB, the product of the retinoblastoma gene, or 16, the product of the MTS1/CDKN2 gene, while a smaller subset of aggressive mesenchymal tumors without metastatic potential did not express RB by immunohistochemistry. We now studied the expression of two additional important cell-cycle regulators, namely cyclin D1 and p53, in the same cohort of high- and low-grade lesions. In the aggregate, our data provide a comprehensive overview of the importance of cell-cycle deregulation in mesenchymal neoplasia. Paraffin sections of 58 sarcomas and 23 soft-tissue tumors of low malignant potential (STT-LMP) were reacted with monoclonal antibodies against cyclin D1 and p53, using optimized immunohistochemical staining protocols. The staining data were correlated with expression of pRB and p15 and with a variety of pathologic parameters. A total of 33 of 58 sarcomas (57%) and 9 of 23 STT-LMP (39%) overexpressed p53. Fourteen sarcomas (24%) and 4 STT-LMP (17%) overexpressed cyclin D1. There was no correlation between expression of these two genes and histologic tumor type or grade. Loss of RB and loss of p16 or overexpression of cyclin D1 were mutually exclusive events. Considering all four cell-cycle regulators, sarcomas had a significantly higher abnormality rate than did STT-LMP (P < .005). Only 10% of the sarcomas but 39% of STT-LMP showed normal expression of all four gene products. Based on our findings, overexpression of cyclin D1 and (presumably mutant) p53 appear to be among the most common molecular alterations in human mesenchymal neoplasia, and abrogation of cell-cycle control is observed in the great majority of sarcomas; it is present significantly less frequently in low-grade lesions.

Cell Cycle↗
PubMed2001

[Interpretation of thoracic radiographs re-examined and corrected with tomodensitometry].

To our knowledge, conventional chest radiography is not likely to become obsolete or disappear from the daily practice of medical imaging. As such, it is important to insure that chest radiographs are acquired using optimal technique. Evaluation of chest radiograph findings must be comprehensive and the art of reading chest radiographs must be well thought to physicians in training. Chest radiography is characterized by the projection of tridimensional anatomical structures and disease processes onto a two-plane radiographic film. Correlation with cross-sectional data obtained from CT may greatly enhance the understanding and interpretation of conventional chest radiographs. Indeed, review of CT images facilitates anatomical understanding of the segmental and subsegmental anatomy, of the superior segments of the lower lobes and of the three dimensional orientation of the fissures. CT also has improved the understanding of some chest radiography findings. Careful review of findings at chest radiography is helpful to optimize CT acquisition protocols in order to reduce some of the pitfalls of CT and improve detection of specific processes that could otherwise be poorly demonstrated or overlooked. Chest radiographs can sometimes detect diseases or abnormalities that are difficult to demonstrate at CT.

Humans↗
PubMed2001

Evaluation of therapy response in breast and ovarian cancer patients by positron emission tomography (PET).

Positron emission tomography (PET) has the potential to contribute significantly to treatment planning and to the evaluation of response to therapy in patients with cancer. For disease recurrence PET imaging provides information non-invasively. The final goal is to biologically characterize an individual patient's tumor and to predict the response to treatment at the earliest possible time. Since the development of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, PET has been proved to be the most sensitive and accurate imaging technique for early therapy response evaluation of breast tumors. Quantitative and/or semi-quantitative PET studies yield valuable information in breast cancer regarding prognosis and response to chemohormontherapy in a timely fashion. In ovarian cancer, up to now only few studies have been performed applying PET techniques for the evaluation of treatment response. These preliminary studies indicate that serial assessment of tumor metabolism by FDG-PET early during effective chemotherapy may predict subsequent response to such therapy. PET studies can be repeated without any side-effects and with low radiation exposure and results can be directly correlated with clinical laboratory data and histology. The role of PET in the context of patient management and the cost-effectiveness of this approach needs further evaluation. Therapy monitoring by PET could help to optimize neoadjuvant therapy protocols and to avoid ineffective preoperative therapy in non-responders, but this has to be proven in a larger number of patients and in different neoadjuvant settings such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy or a combination of these.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed2002

Improved quantitation and reproducibility in Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA microarrays.

We show here that the amount of labeled cDNA and its specific activity can play a significant role in the quantitation of microarray experiments. Standard reverse transcription of 2 microg total bacterial RNA with concomitant incorporation of cyanine dye-conjugated nucleotides did not produce enough label for optimal hybridization results in our Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA microarray. Therefore we turned to an alternative labeling method using the incorporation of aminoallyl nucleotides followed by conjugation to Cy-dye. The method allows up to 10 fold more label to be produced, and at higher specific activity. In particular, more transcripts can be detected and variability between replicate features can be reduced by using more labeled cDNA. We show that optimizing the labeling protocol is a critical element in conducting microarray experiments and obtaining reproducible and interpretable data.

DNA Probes↗
PubMed2001

Behavioral treatments for post-prostatectomy incontinence.

Despite improvements in surgical approaches to radical prostatectomy, many patients experience moderate to severe urinary incontinence during the first few postoperative weeks. For some patients, leakage continues for several months or years. Urinary incontinence has a significant impact on quality of life in these typically active patients. Surgical interventions are not recommended until after a 6 to 12 month trial of behavioral interventions. Behavioral interventions include supportive care, diet and medication management, pelvic floor rehabilitation, inhibition techniques, and patient education and support. This integrative review of the literature summarizes current knowledge of behavioral interventions for post-prostatectomy urinary incontinence for the primary care and home care clinician. Aspects of care specific to masculine culture are explored. Recommendations for further research include determination of optimal timing and protocols for pelvic floor rehabilitation, best practices for patient and family education, and development of a standard definition of urinary incontinence so the efficacy of treatments can be compared.

Benchmarking↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Use of needle electromyography for diagnosis of radiculopathies].

Radiculopathy is sometimes evaluated with needle electromyography as additional examination to radiographic imaging. The purpose of this study was to determine the optimal needle electromyography protocol and the use of needle electromyography in the diagnosis of radiculopathy. The authors analysed English language writings from years 1981-2000. The selected studies reported a wide range of needle EMG abnormalities--from about 30 to 100% of pathological EMGs. That is caused by wide variety of patient populations and various EMG protocols. EMG of leg muscles in radiculopathy can consist of the assessment of the spontaneous activity only or be completed with the assessment of motor unit potential (MUP). The EMG of paraspinal muscles assesses spontaneous activity only. The number of abnormalities in needle EMG grows with the presence of characteristic radiculopathy symptoms, but positive EMG examinations are of importance only in cases where diagnosis is complicated. The rate of pathological results is higher when needle electromyography is used in the muscles of paraspinal region and extremities at the same time. The assessment of the spontaneous activity in extremity muscles alone minimizes the influence of error- causing factors on the EMG result. Nevertheless lack of assessment of motor units potentials makes electromyographic investigation of chronic radiculopathy impossible. Sensitivity and specificity of the method have to be determined before the clinical use of the assessment of MUP in chronic radiculopathy, especially in patients without motor weakness. Needle EMG abnormalities correlate with radiological findings in limited range as would be expected from the occurrence of radiological findings in asymptomatic patients and overlapping innervations of myotomes.

Electromyography↗