What Researchers Did
Researchers evaluated the use of electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the clinical assessment of acute central nervous system (CNS) decompression sickness (DCS).
What They Found
Among 21 patients with acute CNS decompression sickness, 7 (one-third) showed abnormalities on electroencephalography. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed high-intensity lesions in the spinal cord in 4 patients with spinal cord DCS and 1 with cerebral DCS, but no cerebral lesions were identified. Overall, both EEG and MRI demonstrated low sensitivity for diagnosing acute CNS DCS.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients presenting with acute CNS decompression sickness should primarily rely on clinical neurological examination and symptom assessment for diagnosis and treatment guidance. While MRI may assist in diagnosing spinal cord involvement, it is not effective for brain lesions, and EEG has limited utility.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection as it was not conducted in Canada, nor did it involve Canadian participants or researchers.
Study Limitations
A limitation of this study is its relatively small sample size of 21 patients, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.