Skip to main content
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry logoLink to Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
. 1987 Sep;50(9):1204–1210. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.50.9.1204

Evaluation of the dermatomal somatosensory evoked potential in the diagnosis of lumbo-sacral root compression.

H A Katifi 1, E M Sedgwick 1
PMCID: PMC1032356  PMID: 3668570

Abstract

The dermatomal somatosensory evoked potential from the lumbo-sacral dermatomes was recorded from 21 patients with radiographically and surgically (20) proven lumbo-sacral root compression due to prolapsed intervertebral disc or canal stenosis. The potential was abnormal in 19 of the 20 surgically proven cases. The dermatomal somatosensory evoked potential is as accurate as myelography for diagnosis but has the advantage of being non-invasive and repeatable. It provides useful additional diagnostic and pathophysiological information about lumbo-sacral root compression.

Full text

PDF
1204

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Aejmelaeus R., Hiltunen H., Härkönen M., Silfverhuth M., Vähä-Tahlo T., Tunturi T. Myelographic versus clinical diagnostics in lumbar disc disease. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 1984;103(1):18–25. doi: 10.1007/BF00451314. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Aminoff M. J., Goodin D. S., Barbaro N. M., Weinstein P. R., Rosenblum M. L. Dermatomal somatosensory evoked potentials in unilateral lumbosacral radiculopathy. Ann Neurol. 1985 Feb;17(2):171–176. doi: 10.1002/ana.410170211. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Arnoldi C. C., Brodsky A. E., Cauchoix J., Crock H. V., Dommisse G. F., Edgar M. A., Gargano F. P., Jacobson R. E., Kirkaldy-Willis W. H., Kurihara A. Lumbar spinal stenosis and nerve root entrapment syndromes. Definition and classification. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1976 Mar-Apr;(115):4–5. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Baust W., Ilsen H. W., Jörg J., Wambach G. Höhenlokalisation von Rückenmarksquerschnittssyndromen mittels corticaler Reizantwortpotentiale. Nervenarzt. 1972 Jun;43(6):292–304. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Berić A., Prevec T. S. Distribution of scalp somatosensory potentials evoked by stimulation of the tibial nerve in man. J Neurol Sci. 1983 May;59(2):205–214. doi: 10.1016/0022-510x(83)90038-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Dvonch V., Scarff T., Bunch W. H., Smith D., Boscardin J., Lebarge H., Ibrahim K. Dermatomal somatosensory evoked potentials: their use in lumbar radiculopathy. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 1984 Apr;9(3):291–293. doi: 10.1097/00007632-198404000-00012. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Eisen A., Hoirch M., Moll A. Evaluation of radiculopathies by segmental stimulation and somatosensory evoked potentials. Can J Neurol Sci. 1983 Aug;10(3):178–182. doi: 10.1017/s0317167100044875. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Green J., Gildemeister R., Hazelwood C. Dermatomally stimulated somatosensory cerebral evoked potentials in the clinical diagnosis of lumbar disc disease. Clin Electroencephalogr. 1983 Jul;14(3):152–160. doi: 10.1177/155005948301400310. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Katifi H. A., Sedgwick E. M. Somatosensory evoked potentials from posterior tibial nerve and lumbo-sacral dermatomes. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol. 1986 Jul;65(4):249–259. doi: 10.1016/0168-5597(86)90002-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Keim H. A., Hajdu M., Gonzalez E. G., Brand L., Balasubramanian E. Somatosensory evoked potentials as an aid in the diagnosis and intraoperative management of spinal stenosis. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 1985 May;10(4):338–344. doi: 10.1097/00007632-198505000-00009. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Kortelainen P., Puranen J., Koivisto E., Lähde S. Symptoms and signs of sciatica and their relation to the localization of the lumbar disc herniation. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 1985 Jan-Feb;10(1):88–92. doi: 10.1097/00007632-198501000-00014. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Larson S. J. Somatosensory evoked potentials in lumbar stenosis. Surg Gynecol Obstet. 1983 Aug;157(2):191–196. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Machida M., Asai T., Sato K., Toriyama S., Yamada T. New approach for diagnosis in herniated lumbosacral disc. Dermatomal somatosensory evoked potentials (DSSEPs). Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 1986 May;11(4):380–384. doi: 10.1097/00007632-198605000-00017. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Macnab I. Negative disc exploration. An analysis of the causes of nerve-root involvement in sixty-eight patients. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1971 Jul;53(5):891–903. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES