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Thoracic spinal nerve and root conduction: A magnetic stimulation study
Author(s) -
Chokroverty Sudhansu,
Deutsch Alan,
Guha Chandralekha,
Gonzalez Andres,
Kwan Peter,
Burger Robert,
Goldberg Jerucham
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/mus.880180910
Subject(s) - stimulation , anatomy , intercostal nerves , compound muscle action potential , medicine , nerve root , axillary lines , thoracic vertebrae , lumbar , electrophysiology , lumbar vertebrae
Abstract We describe a technique of magnetic coil (MC) stimulation of the thoracic spinal nerves and roots in 12 normal subjects and a patient with diabetes mellitus. We kept the MC flat against the vertebral column in the midline over T‐7, T‐8, and T‐9 spinous processes and obtained compound muscle action potentials from the upper rectus abdominis, external oblique, and intercostal muscles. We obtained mean latencies to these muscles after stimulation in the posterior axillary line. We noted that the onset latencies remained fixed despite increasing the intensity of stimulation from 30% to 100% and on moving the coil up to 3 cm lateral to the spinous processes suggesting that the stimulation of the fastest conducting fibers was occurring at a fixed site, most likely at the intervertebral foramina. Prolonged latencies in the diabetic patient confirmed the diagnosis of radiculoneuropathy. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.