EEG Referral

Guidance on the appropriate use of standard outpatient EEG - Dept of Neurophysiology QEUH

Referral Criteria:

1. The reason for performing a standard EEG should be clearly stated (see below)
2. A clear description of events and their frequency should be given
3. Relevant past medical history, description of imaging abnormalities (where available), and list of current medication should be given – including newly prescribed AEDs.

Standard interictal EEG is useful in the following circumstances

1. Patients who have had a single definite seizure to give information on risk of recurrence/prognostication.
2. In new onset epilepsy for classification (typically not helpful in patients above 35 years as the risk of genetic generalised epilepsy will be low)
3. Diagnosis of rare neurodegenerative disorders with specific EEG patterns eg sCJD.

EEG should not be used

1. In the diagnosis of episodes of uncertain origin.
2. To exclude a diagnosis of epilepsy
3. To investigate non specific neurological symptoms such as headache, migraine, dizziness, aggression, disinhibition.
4. In probable syncope or non epileptic attacks