Nerve Biopsy and Nerve Conduction Study

J Korean Assoc EMG Electrodiagn Med 1999;1(2):139-149.
Published online May 9, 1999.

Abstract

Nerve conduction study and nerve biopsy are the most important diagnostic tools for the diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy. Even the nerve conduction study is the electrophysiological aspect of structural changes of the peripheral nerve, there is some advantages and disadvantages in each study. Comparing with the nerve conduction study which reveals the function of large myelinated fibers of peripheral nerve only, the nerve biopsy has clear advantages in observing the change of small nerve fibers as well as large myelinated nerves and also picking-up the pathology of supportive structures. However the nerve biopsy is an invasive and complicated study which need several technical and clinical cautions and there is several limitations in clinical application. In this review, these technical and clinical points of the nerve biopsy are described on which every EMGist has to know, and also the relationship of these two studies.

Key Words: Nerve biopsy, Nerve conduction study, Neuropathy