Evaluation of Electrophysiological and Imaging Studies in Identifying Cervical Nerve Root Compression

Abstract

Fifty selected subjects diagnosed clinically as having cervical nerve root compression constituted the patients of this study. Other 20 healthy subjects matching the age, sex, and occupation of the studied patients were selected as a control group.

The following data were determined for each individual in the studied group and their control: • Age, sex, occupation, mode of onset duration, symptoms and signs

(subjective and objective neurological abnormalities), and hand-grip strength bilaterally. • Electrophysiological examination including: sensory and motor

conduction of (median, ulnar and/or radial nerves). F-wave and axillary F-central latency, somatosensory evoked potentials (mixed for median, ulnar, and radial nerves, and dennatomal for C5, C6, C7 and C8 dermatomes), EMG of segment pointing muscles (patients only), were recorded.

• In the plain radiographs of the cervical spine: the number of degenerated intervertebral discs, osteophytes and their level, the Torg-Pavlov's ratio at each segmental level, height/width ratio of each intervertebral foramen (bilaterally calculated) were recorded. • In the MRI study of the cervical spine: the number, level, and side of

affected discs, level and sides of the compressed root and its diameter,

APDITD diameter of the spinal cord at each segmental level were recorded.