Correlation of electromyography and magnetic resonance imaging findings in the diagnosis of radiculopathy

Introduction: Electromyography (EMG) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are the main diagnostic tools in radiculopathy. The aim of the study was to classify and correlate MRI and EMG findings in diagnosis of suspicious cervical or lumbosacral radiculopathy. Study design: Retrospective. Methods: We reviewed 346 patients, with complaints of numbness and pain in the neck and back for at least eight weeks, refered from neurology and neurosurgery outpatient clinics to our neurophysiology lab between 2011 June -2013 May. Patients with diabetes mellitus, previous disc or spine operation, polyneuropathy and spinal cord diseases as tumor, infection or syrinxs were excluded. Patients who were investigated with both neuroimaging and neurophysiological studies,in those who had normal nerve conduction results and had no motor deficits were included. MRI findings were classified in four groups as degenerative abnormalities, bulging disc, protrusion and nerve root compression. EMG findings were classified also in four groups as denervation, re-innervation, chronic neurogenic changes and normal. Root compression disclosed by MRI and abnormal EMG results were considered as positive findings for radiculopathy. Results: We studied 66 patients. Mean age was 52.15±12.07. Total of 37 (56.1%) were female, 29 (43.9%) were male and 43% was cervical, 57% was lumbosacral radiculopathy. We determined 27.27% MRI positive and 16.69% EMG negative results. Positive predictive value is higher for MRI (94.44% versus 32.08%) and negative predictive value is higher for EMG (92.31% versus 25%). Conclusions: In the present study EMG is more sensitive than MRI, but MRI is more specific than EMG. Disclosure: Nothing to disclose EP2263