Trend figures assist with untrained emergency electroencephalogram interpretation

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Medical Diagnostics
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Acute electroencephalogram (EEG) interpretation is crucial for emergency neurological assessments.
• Untrained medical staff face challenges in accurately interpreting raw EEG traces.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate an emergency EEG trend figure for improved interpretability by untrained staff.
• To compare the accuracy of interpreting EEG trend figures versus raw EEG traces.

Main Methods:

• EEG trend figures were created incorporating amplitude and frequency for various EEG patterns (wakefulness, sleep, seizure, encephalopathy).
• The interpretation accuracy of untrained reviewers using trend figures was compared to raw EEG traces.

Main Results:

• Correct interpretation rates were significantly higher with EEG trend figures for wakefulness, sleep, and encephalopathy.
• Misjudgment rates for normal/abnormal findings were lower with trend figures for wakefulness patterns.

Conclusions:

• EEG trend figures enhance the accuracy of emergency EEG interpretation by untrained medical staff.
• Intuitive EEG figures may improve diagnostic accuracy, though further research is needed for complex cases.