76. E-MMG (EMG per i Medici di Medicina Generale): A software-based approach to improve clinical question relevance and electromyography exam accuracy

Abstract

Increasing electromyography (EMG) exams demand questions if medicine might be more efficient. In collaboration with SparkBIO, a medical technology company, we are developing a software-web, with the following aims: (1) to help general (or any medical) practitioner to formulate a good clinical question for an EMG analysis; (2) an handbook for neurophysiologist to perform a good EMG examination. Two steps for the software-web realization have been hypothesized. The first step consists of a planar human figure, in which users report the location and the nature of symptoms (about strength or pain or perception) and afterwards obtain the more probable clinical question developed by the software, using detailed anatomical and physiological algorithms. The second step consists of a question-related table in which the software suggests to neurophysiologists the list of tests necessary to accurately investigate the clinical question. Once achieving the results, the software is able to process them and to suggest a possible diagnosis or an alternative working plan, using updated pathophysiological and disease criteria. A computer-assisted diagnostic process cannot take practise and knowledge place in anyway, but might improve its accuracy avoiding expertise or organization errors.