Science News: Optimization of Muscle Selection for Needle Electromyography in Isolated C6 Root Lesion: A Prospective Chart Review Study

Published February 25, 2025

Science News

Submitted by: Nandita Keole, MD
Edited by: Nakul Katyal, MD

Citation: Rayegani SM, Bahrami MH, Aalipour K, Malek Mahmoudi R, Maleki Kahaki S. Optimization of muscle selection for needle electromyography in isolated C6 root lesion: A prospective chart review Study. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2024;103(5):439-443. doi:10.1097/PHM.0000000000002369

Summary: This prospective clinical study was performed on 39 patients with isolated and unilateral cervical radiculopathy selected from all referrals of 1,733 patients to the electrodiagnostic (EDX) unit of the physical medicine and rehabilitation department of a tertiary medical center (from April 2021 to December 2021). The presence of fibrillation potentials, positive sharp waves, and/or neurogenic motor action potentials that occurred in isolation or combination with selected muscles was considered an abnormal finding. According to needle electromyography findings, the most involved muscles in C6 root lesion were pronator teres (100%), followed by extensor carpi radialis longus (94.8%), flexor carpi radialis (89.7%), brachioradialis (82%), infraspinatus (82%), supraspinatus (79.4%), deltoid (74.3%), biceps brachii (64.1%), extensor digitorum communis (33.3%), and triceps brachii (15.3%) muscles.

Conclusions: The pronator teres is the most involved muscle of patients diagnosed with C6 radiculopathy. It might be considered the key muscle for screening and accurate diagnosis of C6 root involvement.

Comments: This was not a blinded study which may have added bias.  There is no mention of cervical paraspinal being tested in these patients. This highlights the importance of including the protaner teres muscle during EDX testing where a C6 radiculopathy is suspected. 

 

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