The state of everyday quantitative EEG use in Canada: A national technologist survey.

PURPOSE

This study sought to determine the state of quantitative EEG (QEEG) use in Canada, as QEEG may provide a partial solution to the issue of escalating EEG demand against insufficient health care resources.

METHODS

A 10-item survey questionnaire was administered to participants at the annual meeting of the Canadian Association of Electroneurophysiology Technologists, which was held in parallel with the annual meeting of the Canadian Neurological Sciences Federation.

RESULTS

At least 70% of the Canadian population has QEEG access through academic medical institutions with applicability to adults and children. QEEG was clinically used 50% in real-time and 50% retrospectively in the critical care and epilepsy monitoring units for long-term monitoring and automated seizure detection. QEEG trend use, montage use, and duration were variable.

CONCLUSION

To cope with insufficient health care resources, QEEG is in surprisingly frequent clinical use across Canada. There is no consensus on optimal QEEG trends and montages. The relative ubiquity of QEEG affords an excellent opportunity for research as increasing EEG demand outpaces dwindling health care resources into the foreseeable future.