Nerve Conduction Velocity (NCV)

Nerve conduction velocity is a diagnostic exam that evaluates the function of the motor and sensory nerves throughout the body. This test is often performed to evaluate patients with numbness, tingling and/or weakness in the arms and legs.

During the NCV test, electrodes are placed over the nerve at different locations to deliver a small electrical impulse that stimulates the nerve. Recording the distance between electrodes and the time it takes for the impulses to travel between them help determine the speed of the signals. It is important that a normal body temperature be maintained during this test.

Indications:

• Peripheral neuropathy
• Diagnosis of suspected generalized neuropathies, such as diabetic, uremic, metabolic or immune
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Ulnar neuropathy
• Guillain-Barré syndrome
• Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy
• Spinal disc herniation
• Traumatic nerve lesions for diagnosis and prognosis