EMG LABORATORY ATTAINS PRESTIGIOUS NATIONAL ACCREDITATION FOR CLINICAL EXCELLENCE IN NEUROMUSCULAR DIAGNOSIS

One of First EMG Laboratories in the United States to Be Awarded Honor

HYANNIS and LAWRENCE, Mass., Aug. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — EMG Laboratory, a state-of-the-art facility for electrodiagnostic medicine, was awarded the American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine’s (AANEM) highest level of recognition, Accreditation with Exemplary Status. EMG Laboratory has provided advanced testing of nerves and muscles to communities in and around Merrimack Valley and Cape Cod since 1997. Currently, it is the first and only electrodiagnostic laboratory with such accreditation to serve these communities.

Led by Drasko Simovic, M.D., EMG Laboratory is one of only 17 EMG laboratories nationwide to achieve the AANEM’s peer-reviewed accreditation for high-quality performance, integrity and patient care, exceeding a rigorous set of measures of excellence.

“This accreditation validates the quality of Dr. Simovic’s work as superior,” said Allan H. Ropper, M.D., M.D., Executive Vice Chairman, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Woman’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School. “He’s a dedicated and highly qualified specialist with a strong commitment to electrophysiology and to the patients he treats. He’s thoughtful about how he conducts studies, tailors the study logically, and provides referring physicians diagnoses with certainty. Such certainty is important. It helps referring physicians make well-informed decisions about a clear course of patient treatment.”

Dr. Simovic uses techniques from major U.S. academic centers. He completed Boston University’s Affiliated Hospitals Residency Program in Neurology and two fellowships in electrodiagnostic medicine and clinical neurophysiology at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, MA.

He is one of the few Boston-area specialists Board Certified in four specialties: Neurology (ABPN), Electrodiagnostic Medicine (ABEM), Clinical Neurophysiology (ABPN-CN), and Disability Analysis (ABDA). An Assistant Professor of Neurology at Tufts University’s School of Medicine, Dr. Simovic has co-authored ground-breaking research in gene therapy and diabetic neuropathy and published research in novel electrodiagnostic techniques.

“We are pleased to receive this accreditation and recognition from the AANEM,” said Dr. Simovic. “Electrodiagnostic medicine is my passion. I receive gratification in my daily work by helping patients along the path of wellness and establishing correct diagnoses. Once we know the name of our ‘medical enemy,’ it’s much easier for physicians to use the appropriate therapeutic tools. My dedication to providing test results to referring physicians on the same day the test is conducted helps doctors provide the best care to their patients.”

Electrodiagnostic medicine helps diagnose conditions with symptoms including pain, numbness, tingling and/or weakness from problems such as carpal tunnel syndrome, neuropathy, pinched nerves, and low back and neck pain to complex diseases such as muscular dystrophy and Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

About AANEM

The American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine (www.aanem.org) is dedicated to advancing neuromuscular, musculoskeletal, and electrodiagnostic medicine. Its 5,000 physician members work to improve the care of patients with muscle and nerve disorders.

About EMG Laboratory

Serving communities in and around Merrimack Valley, MA and Hyannis, MA for many years, EMG Laboratory provides the highest levels of patient care and diagnostic support for referring physicians in its state-of-the-art facility. EMG Laboratory, a multi-lingual environment, specializes in sophisticated Electromyography and nerve conduction testing that provides information about a range of nerves and muscles disorders. The highly detailed information and meticulous analysis that follows are critical to understanding the complete neuromuscular condition, which assists physicians in selecting an effective treatment plan. Visit www.emglaboratory.com for information about EMG Laboratory and Dr. Simovic.

CONTACT US
LOCATIONS

Copyright: EMG Laboratory, LLC

Illustration Attributions
LAWRENCE:
EMG LABORATORY
25 MARSTON STREET #208
LAWRENCE, MA 01841
TEL: 978-687-2586
FAX: 978-687-8268
HYANNIS:
EMG LABORATORY
51 MAIN STREET #6
HYANNIS, MA 02601
TEL: 508-775-2600
FAX: 508-775-1437

Medical illustrations on this website are attributed to: Freepik.com and author Kjpargeter

Lateral Femoral Cutaneous Nerve

From: www.wheelessonline.com 

– Anatomy:    

– LFCN, as its name suggests, is purely sensory;    
– it arises from L2 and L3, travels downward lateral to the psoas muscle, crosses the iliacus muscle (deep to fascia), passes either thru or underneath the lateral aspect of the inguinal ligament, and finally travels onto innervate the lateral thigh;
– it divides into anterior and posterior branches and supplies skin on lateral aspect of thigh;
– in the study by Hospodar et al (JTO 1999), the course of the nerve was variable, but was most commonly found at 10-15 mm from the ASIS and as far medially as 46 mm from the ASIS;
– in no specimen did the nerve pass lateral to the ASIS (eventhough historically the nerve is thought to pass lateral to the ASIS in 10% of population);
– in all specimens the nerve passed underneath the ilioginal ligament and anterior to the iliacus muscle; 

– Meralgia Paresthetica: 

– entrapment syndrome of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve causing burning, numbness, and paresthesias down the proximal-lateral aspect of the thigh;
– may be idiopathic, be a result of trauma, previous operations, and in some cases may arise from Perthes Disease abduction splints;
– in idiopathic cases, the nerve may be encased in bone by the growing apophysis of the anterior superior iliac spine, or may be entrapped in fascia either proximal or distal to the ASIS;    
– diagnosis is made by:           
– reproduction of the pain by deep palpation just below the anterior superior iliac spine and by hip extension;           
– relief of pain by localized injection of lidocaine;    
– treatment: when diagnosis is not in doubt and the symptoms are severe, consider operative decompression at the site of constriction;

EMG and NCS

Electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction studies (NCS) are tests that measure the electrical activity of muscles and nerves. Nerves send out electrical signals to make your muscles react in certain ways. Nerves also send signals from your skin to your brain, which then processes the signals, so you can experience a variety of skin sensations.

  • An EMG Test looks at the electrical signals your muscles make when they are at rest and when they are being used.
  • A Nerve Conduction Study measures how fast and how well the body’s electrical signals travel along your nerves. EMG and nerve conduction studies are used to help diagnose a variety of muscle and nerve disorders and to quantify the severity of your condition.


An EMG test helps find out if muscles are responding the right way to nerve signals. Nerve conduction studies help diagnose nerve damage or disease. When EMG tests and nerve conduction studies are done together, they help doctors tell if your symptoms are caused by a muscle disorder or a nerve problem. With EMG and NCS studies, your doctor can next select the best therapeutic option to help you.