Segmental and Dermatomal Somatosensory Evoked Potentials in Lumbosacral Radiculopathy

ABSTRACT

This study was performed to evaluate the usefulness of dermatomal somatosensory evoked potentials(D-SSEP) and segrnental somatosensory evoked potentials(S-SSEP) for the diagnosis of lurnbosacral radiculopathy. D-SSEP and S-SSEP were recorded from 30 healthy controls and 16 patients with lumbosacral radiculopathy(LA radiculopathy 10 cases, L5 13 cases, SI 4 cases) who was diagnosed by clinical findings CT and/or MRI. D-SSEP were abnormal in 40%, 30.7% and 25% of the patients with IA, L5 and Sl radiculopathy respectively and S-SSEP were abnormal in 20%, 38% and 50% of the patients with IA, L5 and Sl radiculopathy respectively. The proportion of abnormal findings in the' patients with L4, L5 and Sl radiculopathy was increased to 50%, 46. 1% and 50% respectively by administering both of D-SSEP and S-SSEP. In conclusion, D-SSEP and S-SSEP are simple and noninvasive test but insensitive studies for diagnosis of lumbosacral radiculopathy. The diagnostic sensitivity could be increased by usmg both of these two studies.