System and methods for improving diagnostic evoked potential studies for functional assessments of nerves and nerve pathways

Abstract

Systems and methods for enhancing diagnostic evoked potential recordings of a nerve or nerve pathway of interest. A grid array of stimulating electrodes are placed on, over, or through skin in a location beneath which a nerve or nerve pathway is suspected to lie. A stimulator controls the grid array, where each electrode is independently controllable as active or inactive, as a cathode or anode, etc. A plurality of recording electrodes may record Somato-Sensory Evoked Potentials (SSEPs) and/or Transcranial Electrical Motor Evoked Potentials (TCeMEP) in response to activation of the stimulating electrodes. A processor controls stimulating the stimulating electrodes, and receives responses from the recording electrodes, in a general search mode and a focused search mode in order to use a minimum stimulation intensity at which a maximum response amplitude is detected to continually stimulate the nerve or the nerve pathway.