[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-seo-436002-105":59,"doc-detail-436002-en":131},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":60,"data":61},"ok",{"site_id":62,"language":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"keywords":66,"description":67,"schema_data":68,"social_meta":124,"head_meta":126,"extra_data":128,"updated_unix":130},105,"en","cervical-radiculopathy-for-neurologists-the-role-of-electrodiagnosis","Cervical radiculopathy for neurologists - the role of electrodiagnosis","","Cervical radiculopathy is a frequent musculoskeletal degenerative condition, and conventional electroneuromyography combines nerve conduction studies with needle electromyography to provide a highly specific diagnostic evaluation. Sensitivity is moderate, but electromyography helps determine lesion chronicity by distinguishing acute denervation with preserved MUAP morphology from chronic remodeling with altered MUAP duration, amplitude, and phases. The review also clarifies key terminology used when interpreting NCS and EMG in clinical practice.",{"@graph":69,"@context":123},[70,84,106],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":35,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/healthcare/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/cervical-radiculopathy-for-neurologists-the-role-of-electrodiagnosis/436002/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/cervical-radiculopathy-for-neurologists-the-role-of-electrodiagnosis/436002.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Emma Wilson","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-30","2026-09-29",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":105},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",12,{"@type":107,"mainEntity":108},"FAQPage",[109,115,119],{"name":110,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":112},"What role does needle electromyography (EMG) play in diagnosing cervical radiculopathy?","Question",{"text":113,"@type":114},"Needle EMG has high specificity for radiculopathy. It detects denervation patterns that support localization and diagnostic confidence.","Answer",{"name":116,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":117},"How does EMG differentiate acute versus chronic cervical radiculopathy?",{"text":118,"@type":114},"Acute lesions show denervation potentials and reduced recruitment with preserved MUAP morphology. Chronic lesions show MUAP remodeling (increased duration, amplitude, and phases) along with reduced recruitment.",{"name":120,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":121},"What EMG findings indicate active denervation in cervical radiculopathy?",{"text":122,"@type":114},"Fibrillation potentials and positive sharp waves on EMG indicate active denervation and ongoing axonal damage.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":125,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":127,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":129,"site_id":62},436002,1790742406,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":132},{"doc_id":129,"user_id":133,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":134,"doc_module":4,"category_id":34,"category_name":35,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":135,"file_id":136,"file_url":137,"file_type":138,"file_size":139,"view_count":105,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":29,"language":140,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":144,"read_time":145,"preview_page_count":4},3848291630094,"https://eur-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_085a072bc5b1113ac321206ff7593b45","Article published online: 2025-11-28  \nPractice Neurology 1  \nCervical radiculopathy for neurologists: the role of electrodiagnosis  \nLucas Immich Gonçalves 1,2 Pedro Helder de Oliveira Junior3 José Pedro Soares Baima3  \n1 University Health Network, University of Toronto, Ellen and Martin Prosserman Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, Toronto ON, Canada.  \n2 Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Hospital São Lucas, Departamento de Neurologia, Porto Alegre RS, Brazil.  \n3 Universidade Federal do Ceará, Hospital Universitário Walter Cantídio, Unidade de Neurofisiologia, Fortaleza CE, Brazil.  \nArq. Neuro-Psiquiatr. 2025;83(10):s00451812893 .  \nAddress for correspondence José Pedro Soares Baima (email: [jpedrobaima@gmail.com](jpedrobaima@gmail.com))  \nAbstract  \nKeywords  \n► Electromyography  \n► Nerve Conduction Studies  \n► Radiculopathy  \nCervical radiculopathy (CR) is a common condition encountered in the general population, usually related to a musculoskeletal degenerative condition. Conventional electroneuromyography (ENMG) consists of nerve conduction studies (NCS) and needle electromyography (EMG), and it is regarded as the most specific diagnostic evaluation in this scenario. Although CR is commonly encountered in clinical practice, ENMG as a diagnostic tool is not often discussed in neurology residency programs. Electromyography has demonstrated modest sensitivity (50–71%) but excellent specificity (approaching 100%) for the diagnosis of CR. It can also provide valuable information about lesion chronicity. In EMG, acute lesions typically present with denervation potentials and reduced recruitment, but with preserved motor unit action potential (MUAP) morphology. In contrast, chronic lesions are characterized by remodeling, with MUAPs showing increased duration, amplitude, and number of phases, in addition to reduced recruitment. The present review aims to provide an overview of the roles of NCS and EMG, while also introducing key terminology commonly encountered in the interpretation of these diagnostic modalities.  \nTEACHING POINTS  \n1. Electrodiagnostic testing, specifically needle electromyography (EMG), has a high specificity for radiculopathy.  \n2. An adequate EMG evaluation involves at least 6 muscles, with one being the paraspinal  \n3. Chronicity in cervical radiculopathy can be estimated based on EMG findings.  \n4. The presence of fibrillation potentials and positive sharp waves on EMG indicates active denervation and ongoing axonal damage.  \nCLINICAL VIGNETTE  \nA 42-year-old man presented with neck pain radiating down the left arm for 2 months. He reported a bothersome tingling over the middle finger. Physical examination revealed mild hypoesthesia in the left middle finger and reduced triceps reflex. Strength testing was unremarkable. Nerve conduction studies (NCS) were normal. Needle electromyography (EMG) showed signs of active denervation (fibrillations and acute sharp-wave potentials) in the left triceps and flexor carpi radialis muscles ( ►Figure 1). Motor unit action potentials (MUAPs) had normal duration and amplitude, but recruitment was  \nreceived  \nJune 17, 2025  \nreceived in its final form August 11, 2025  \naccepted  \nAugust 23, 2025  \nDOI [https://doi.org/](https://doi.org/)[ ](https://doi.org/)10.1055/s-0045-1812893 . ISSN 0004-282X.  \nEditor-in-Chief: Hélio A. G. Teive.  \nAssociate Editor: Lívia Almeida Dutra.  \n© 2025 . The Author(s) .  \nThis is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit ([https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/))  \nThieme Revinter Publicações Ltda. , Rua Rego Freitas, 175, loja 1, República, São Paulo, SP, CEP 01220-010, Brazil  \n2 Electrodiagnosis in cervical radiculopathy | Gon alves et al.  \nTable 1 Main causes of cervical radiculopathy  \n\n| Degenerative ","cbCaiergsh0WdmKw","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiergsh0WdmKw","pdf",5282410,"English","# Abstract\n# Keywords\n# Teaching Points\n# Clinical Vignette\n# From Presentation to Resolution: Lessons Learned\n## Anatomical Considerations\n## Table 1 Main Causes of Cervical Radiculopathy","[{\"question\":\"What role does needle electromyography (EMG) play in diagnosing cervical radiculopathy?\",\"answer\":\"Needle EMG has high specificity for radiculopathy. It detects denervation patterns that support localization and diagnostic confidence.\"},{\"question\":\"How does EMG differentiate acute versus chronic cervical radiculopathy?\",\"answer\":\"Acute lesions show denervation potentials and reduced recruitment with preserved MUAP morphology. Chronic lesions show MUAP remodeling (increased duration, amplitude, and phases) along with reduced recruitment.\"},{\"question\":\"What EMG findings indicate active denervation in cervical radiculopathy?\",\"answer\":\"Fibrillation potentials and positive sharp waves on EMG indicate active denervation and ongoing axonal damage.\"}]","Cervical radiculopathy for neurologists - the role of electrodiagnosis | PDF",1790676380,15]