[A new computerized system for electroencephalography at the Kochi Medical School Hospital: the present status and...

The usual electroencephalography (EEG) recording consumes great amounts of paper, considerable storage space for records and much time and energy for their search and retrieval. In addition, we can not perform digitized analyses of the records with the present method. To solve these problems, our laboratory developed a new computerized system for EEG, in which data are retained in optic disks, and which has been in service for routine examination since December, 1988. The functions of the system and EEG filing system, include the collection, retention, retrieval, transmission and analyses of data with the reproduction of the original EEG and editing function of summary reports to be filed in the medical records. The summary report consists of summary, characteristic wave patterns picked up and edited from EEG, and spectral array and topographical mapping by digitized analyses of EEG. The condition for the collection of EEG data was 200 Hz/8 bit, and the reproduced wave patterns were accepted by all clinicians. The merits of the system include; (i) saving of paper, space and time needed for EEG, (ii) enabling the comparison of the wave patterns in the form of summary reports and (iii) the capability of digitized analyses of EEG by retaining the EEG data in the data base. The problems remaining to be improved for the system are the longer time required for examination (5-10 min) and the higher running cost (yen 460/order). Regarding the latter problem, a revised method which dispenses with recording paper is under consideration. That is, in the case of screening examinations, summary reports for medical records alone would be delivered to clinicians. This idea has been accepted by some clinicians. To realize the revised system, we presently are planning to establish a method to display EEG on CRT.