HSR-EMG
High-spatial-resolution EMG
Introduction and Application
The activity of the smallest motor units of musculature contains detailed information about
- structural and
- functional attributes of the musculature
- application in diagnosis and therapy control of different neuromuscular diseases
Conventional EMG procedures are either
- invasive, therefore painful and not suitable for long term examinations, or
- the resolution is not high enough to visualize the activity of single motor units
The method of High-Spatial-Resolution EMG, developed at the Helmholtz-Institute, allows the non-invasive acquisition of the activity of these units.
Materials and Methods
- Fig 1. Visualization of the activity of single motor units by means of application of spatial filters.
- Fig 2-5: Development of suited electrode arrays and pre-amplifier units. Top: HSR EMG measurement at a child with plexus-paresis. Bottom: Fixable electrode array for long term application. Example: Measurement at M.Trapezius.
Results
- Fig 6. Diagnostics of neuromuscular illnesses, example muscular atrophy and Duchenne.
- Fig 7: Example Plexus-Paresis
Conclusion
The method of High-Spacial-Resolution EMG, developed at the Helmholtz-Institute, allows the non-invasive and therefore painless acquisition of the activity of the smallest units of the musculature. It can provide useful information about diagnostics and therapy control of neuromuscular illnesses.
