Critical Care Terminology Flashcards

Q & A FLASHCARDS
FOR STANDARDIZED
ADULT CRITICAL CARE
EEG TERMINOLOGY

Adapted from ACNS Guideline 14

© Copyright 2016

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written
permission of the publisher, ASET, Inc. Content has been reproduced with permission from the American Clinical
Neurophysiology Society (ACNS).

The publisher has taken care in preparation of this study system, but makes no expressed or implied warranty of
any kind and assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. No liability is assumed for incidental or
consequential damages in connection with or arising out of the use of the information contained herein.

Q & A Flashcards for Standardized Adult Critical Care EEG Terminology

ISBN: 978-1-57797-105-4

Published by:
ASET - The Neurodiagnostic Society
402 East Bannister Road, Suite A
Kansas City, MO 64131-3019
816.931.1120 phone
816.931.1145 fax
[email protected] email
www.aset.org

Standardized Critical Care EEG Terminology
Q. What is the definition of Electrographic Seizures?

Standardized Critical Care EEG Terminology
A. Generalized spike and wave discharges at 3/s or faster;

and clearly evolving discharges of any type that reach a
frequency >4/s, focal or generalized.

Prevalence, duration, frequency, and relation to
stimulation should be stated as described in ACNS
Guideline 14, Standardized Critical Care EEG Terminology,

when being used for research purposes.

Hirsch LJ, et al. ACNS’s Standardized Critical Care EEG
Terminology: v.2012. J Clin Neurophysiol. 2013 Feb;30(1):1–27.

Standardized Critical Care EEG Terminology
Q. According to ACNS Guideline 14, what terms should
be included in the descriptions of “Rhythmic or Periodic

Patterns”?

Standardized Critical Care EEG Terminology
A. All terms should include a Main Term 1 (G, L, BI, or
Mf), followed by Main Term 2 (PDs, RDA, SW), with:
Modifiers (as appropriate): Prevalence, Duration,
Frequency, Number of Phases, Sharpness, Amplitude,
Polarity, Stimulus-Induced, Evolving or Fluctuating, Static,
Plus (+)
Minor Modifiers (as appropriate): Quasi-, Sudden onset or
Gradual onset, Triphasic morphology, Anterior-posterior
or Posterior-anterior lag

Hirsch LJ, et al. ACNS’s Standardized Critical Care EEG
Terminology: v.2012. J Clin Neurophysiol. 2013 Feb;30(1):1–27.

Standardized Critical Care EEG Terminology
Main Term 1

Q. What are the Main Term 1 descriptors for Rhythmic
or Periodic patterns

Standardized Critical Care EEG Terminology
A. Generalized (G), Lateralized (L), Bilateral Independent
(BI), Multifocal (Mf)

Hirsch LJ, et al. ACNS’s Standardized Critical Care EEG
Terminology: v.2012. J Clin Neurophysiol. 2013 Feb;30(1):1–27.

Standardized Critical Care EEG Terminology
Main Term 1

Q. Describe a Generalized (G) pattern

Standardized Critical Care EEG Terminology
A. Refers to any bilateral, bisynchronous and symmetric
pattern, even if it has a restricted field (e.g. bifrontal).

Hirsch LJ, et al. ACNS’s Standardized Critical Care EEG
Terminology: v.2012. J Clin Neurophysiol. 2013 Feb;30(1):1–27.

Standardized Critical Care EEG Terminology
Main Term 1

Q. Describe a Lateralized (L) pattern

Standardized Critical Care EEG Terminology
A. Includes unilateral and bilateral synchronous but
asymmetric; includes focal, regional and hemispheric
patterns.

Hirsch LJ, et al. ACNS’s Standardized Critical Care EEG
Terminology: v.2012. J Clin Neurophysiol. 2013 Feb;30(1):1–27.

Standardized Critical Care EEG Terminology
Modifiers

Q. “+FS” applies to PDs or RDA?

Standardized Critical Care EEG Terminology
A. RDA

Hirsch LJ, et al. ACNS’s Standardized Critical Care EEG
Terminology: v.2012. J Clin Neurophysiol. 2013 Feb;30(1):1–27.

Standardized Critical Care EEG Terminology
Abbreviation List

BI PDs +
EDs RDA +F
+R
G SI +S
L SW
Mf

Standardized Critical Care EEG Terminology

BI = Bilateral Independent EDs = Epileptiform Discharges
G = Generalized L = Lateralized

Mf = Multifocal PDs = Periodic Discharges

RDA = Rhythmic Delta Activity SI = Stimulus-Induced

SW = Spike-and-wave or Sharp-and-wave
+ = Additional feature which renders the pattern more ictal-

appearing than the usual term

+F = Superimposed fast activity
+R = Superimposed rhythmic activity

+S = Superimposed sharp waves or spikes, or sharply contoured

Hirsch LJ, et al. ACNS’s Standardized Critical Care EEG
Terminology: v.2012. J Clin Neurophysiol. 2013 Feb;30(1):1–27.

Standardized Critical Care EEG Terminology

Critical Care EEG Terminology – Practice

Standardized Critical Care EEG Terminology
A. Figure 1*:
LPDs: Sharply contoured lateralized periodic discharges.
In this case, LPDs are unilateral.

Hirsch LJ, et al. ACNS’s Standardized Critical Care EEG
Terminology: v.2012. J Clin Neurophysiol. 2013 Feb;30(1):1–27.

*Reprinted with permission from ACNS

PUBLISHED BY
ASET - THE NEURODIAGNOSTIC SOCIETY