Four diagnostic laboratories are administrated by the Department of Neurology at Case Western Reserve University. These laboratories are essential to many aspects of neurological care.
Autonomic Laboratory
Autonomic Lab - Sweat BoxThe Autonomic Laboratory evaluates patients with disorders affecting the autonomic nervous system. These disorders include multiple system atrophy, pure autonomic failure, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, hypotension, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), fainting, abnormalities of sweating, bladder and sexual dysfunction.
The laboratory is located in the fifth floor of the Bolwell Health Center at University Hospitals - Cleveland Medical Center. Satellite laboratories are located at the Westlake Health Center and the Chagrin Highlands Health Center. All testing is non-invasive and includes tilt table, quantitative sudomotor reflex testing (QSART), whole body sweat testing and laser Doppler flowmetry. Along with Dr. Robinson, studies are supervised and interpreted by Drs. Bashar Katirji and Mark Buczek.
EEG Laboratory
EEG Exam roomEEG (Electroencephalography) is performed for outpatients in the EEG suite located on the second floor of the Bolwell Health Center building at University Hospitals - Cleveland Medical Center.
Over 3000 studies are done annually on outpatients. In addition, the laboratory also does an large number of portable studies on patients hospitalized on the wards and intensive care units. There are seven staff neurologists between the Department of Neurology and the Division of Pediatric Neurology that interpret EEGs.
Video-EEG Monitoring Unit
Video-EEG Monitoring RoomBoth adult and pediatric studies are performed in their respective Video-EEG Monitoring Units. These are inpatient units where patients undergo continuous monitoring as long as needed.
This unit is most helpful in determining if a patient's intermittent symptoms are due to seizures or not. Monitoring is also frequently used to assess the efficacy of anticonvulsant medicines and in the pre-surgical evaluation of patients before possible epilepsy surgery.
The Pediatric Video-EEG Monitoring Unit is located on the seventh floor of Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, and the adult unit is located on the fourth floor of the Lakeside building.
Electromyography Laboratory
EMG Exam RoomNerve conduction studies and electromyography (EMG) are available for the diagnosis of most peripheral nerve and muscle disorders. The EMG laboratory evaluates over 2000 patients per year at five clinical locations, including the 5th floor of the Bolwell Health Center, at Cleveland Medical Center, the University Suburban Health Center, the Chagrin Highlands Health Center, and the Westlake Health Center.
The labs are staffed by five full time technicians along with seven Neurology staff physicians, Drs. Bashar Katirji, David Preston, Barbara Shapiro, Daniel Miller, Marek Buczek, Jenice Robinson, Komal Sawlani, and Christropher Geiger. Services available include nerve conduction sGeigertudies, needle electromyography, single-fiber EMG, ischemic forearm blood testing and EMG guided Botox. The EMG laboratory is extremely user friendly with the ability to schedule patients easily at multiple sites, without significant waiting, with the report usually available the same day.
Important information for patients about electromyography testing.