There are many indications for EEG testing, but the most common reason that an EEG is obtained is to assist in the diagnosis of seizures and epilepsy. Although the history is still the cornerstone of the diagnostic process, in some…
An EEG is considered abnormal if it has findings known to be associated with a pathologic or disease state. As discussed in Chapter 8 , “The Structure and Philosophy of the EEG Report,” this distinction is designed to prevent the…
The essential purpose of recording and interpreting an EEG is to communicate information to the clinicians that will help guide the patient’s care. When patients are referred for EEG testing, the referring physician often does not have the opportunity to…
The use of filters in recording and displaying EEG data is an indispensable tool in producing interpretable EEG tracings. Without filters, many segments of EEG would be essentially unreadable. As we shall see in this chapter, the use of filters…
An artifact is a waveform in the EEG that is not of cerebral origin. Those new to the world of EEG interpretation are often surprised to learn that at least half the challenge of EEG reading consists of identifying artifacts…
In electroencephalography, the term montage refers to the order and choice of channels displayed on the EEG page. Several decisions go into the design of a good display montage: which electrodes to use, how the electrodes should be paired to…
It is easy to underestimate the importance of learning the skills of precise EEG localization compared with the bigger picture of EEG interpretation. On the face of it, the purpose of localization is to identify the location in the brain…
In this chapter, we review the basic terms used in electroencephalography and strategies for communicating EEG findings to others. The creation of a concise description of an EEG tracing is a key part of the art and science of EEG…
An orderly approach to visual analysis of the EEG is important, especially for those who are beginning to hone their EEG reading skills. Although not all EEG records necessarily lend themselves to a single reading approach, it is useful to…