Establishing Improved Normal Values for Nerve Conduction Studies

Abstract

Nerve conduction studies are commonly performed to diagnose injuries of the peripheral nerves. In the past, normal ranges have been derived on relatively small samples of normal subjects. These ranges were often suboptimal for clinical use. Therefore, this series of articles was created to establish an improved database of normative values. It highlights the key contributions of a number of authors. In this foreword, the contributions of the various authors to the special issue on the development of an improved database for nerve conduction studies are described. The authors are introduced, including their training, gifts, and which articles they were involved in writing. In addition, there is a brief review of each of the articles in this special supplement. The fundamentals of ulnar motor nerve conduction to the first dorsal interosseous muscle are described, as is the contribution of Nate Prahlow, MD. In addition, the median motor nerve conduction to the pronator teres muscle and flexor carpi radialis muscle is highlighted including the contributions of Brian Foley, MD. The radial sensory nerve and dorsal ulnar cutaneous sensory nerve studies are described, as well as the contributions of Van Evanoff, Jr., MD, in creating this research. Median motor conduction to the lumbrical muscles and ulnar motor conduction to the palmar interosseous muscles are described, again highlighting the contributions of Dr. Foley. In addition, medial and lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve studies are described, along with the contributions of Dr. Nathan Prahlow. Median and ulnar sensory conduction studies recording from the fourth digit, as well as median and radial sensory conduction to the first digit, are described, as are the contributions of James Lohman, MD, and Andrew Berkson, DO. The side-to-side differences in median and ulnar sensory conduction studies and the importance of performing such studies are described, as are the contributions in this research of Dr. Nathan Prahlow and Elizabeth Grossart, MD. Lastly, median and ulnar sensory amplitude differences are described, including the contributions of Dr. Zaliha Omar, Dr. Andrew Berkson, and Doug Mottley, MD.