[Availability of technical examination equipment. Results of a survey of 347 clinics].

In spring 1993 a survey was carried out in order to establish the availability of technical equipment in neurology departments throughout Germany. Ninety-seven percent of the questionnaires were returned completed. The results showed that extracranial and transcranial ultrasound, EEG, EMG, ENG, VEP, AEP, SEP are the basic technical investigations generally used in almost every neurology department. Long-term EEG and duplex ultrasound, although less commonly used, are usually performed within the hospital's neurology department. Our study showed that most university hospitals have a specialized neuroradiology department, whereas in general hospitals neuroradiologic examinations are conducted by general radiologists. Myelography is often done by neurologists. In contrast to CT scans, MRI is not yet widely available in many hospitals, but is usually in private practices. Patients have to be referred to these practices. In the former East Germany patients have to travel considerable distances. Only a very few highly specialized centers offer PET and SPECT facilities. As expected, there are still significant differences between the former East and West Germany concerning the structure f neurology health care. In West Germany a higher degree of specialization with many institutions for rehabilitation prevails whereas in East Germany almost half of all neurology beds are within neuropsychiatry departments, and specialized clinics are scarce.