Your Impact: New EEG Amplifier Improves Brain Signal Testing
Published Tuesday, June 25, 2024
Pictured (L-R) Ashley Chirta, EEG Tech, Jill Kuzmich, Manager of Stroke, Neurology, Cardiac Diagnostics & Cardiac Rehabilitation and Wayne Hannahs EEG Tech
by Graham Strong
The Electroencephalography or EEG, which measures brain signals, relies on an amplifier to boost those electrical waves. However, over time the amplifier can wear out like any piece of electronics.
That's exactly what happened at our Hospital. Some of the inputs from the amplifier were “flat lining,” which means they weren't able to record brain signals accurately. Without information from all areas of the brain, physicians and healthcare providers at our Hospital can't get a clear picture of potential medical issues – and in turn, a clear diagnosis. Patients would either have to wait longer or be tested again later when the unit was fixed.
“Reliability is key to any diagnostic equipment,” said Jill Kuzmich, Manager of Stroke, Neurology, Cardiac Diagnostics & Cardiac Rehabilitation at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. “Inaccurate or inconclusive tests due to equipment failure can have a negative impact on patients. Delays in testing can result in delays in treatment.”
Thanks to your purchase of Thunder Bay 50/50 ticket purchases, that's not a problem any longer. Our Hospital now has a brand new brain monitor amplifier, ensuring our dedicated professionals get the readings they need every time.
Electroencephalography or EEG is a key piece of equipment for investigating brain injuries and disorders. It involves attaching electrodes to the head, which detect electrical activity. However, these electrical signals are weak. An amplifier boosts the signals so physicians can detect seizures, brain disease and injury, and inflammation.
“Abnormal testing can show what type of condition a person may have,” Kuzmich said. “This helps the physician ensure patients get the best treatment to reduce or eliminate symptoms.”
For example, EEG can be used to monitor patients after a stroke since sometimes the brain injury can trigger seizures. Further, if the patient is showing stroke-like symptoms but other imaging is negative for stroke, physicians can order an EEG to look for other causes of symptoms.
“A stroke and a seizure can look similar,” said Ashley Chirta, a Registered EEG Technologist at our Hospital. “If a patient had a TIA (transient ischemic attack, or “mini-stroke”) or the medical team isn't seeing any other evidence of stroke, they'll order an EEG to rule out it's not a seizure.”
Obviously, the faster physicians diagnose the problem, the faster they can treat. In emergencies like stroke, time is brain, so it's particularly important.
Our new brain signal amplifier is more than a replacement. It features a separate screen on the base that allows staff to more easily see what's happening.
“The base unit now has a screen so we can ensure the readings are being recorded,” Chirta said. That makes testing potentially faster and safer for patients. “So for example, if we're in ICU and we're working behind the bed, we can check the screen from where we're standing. We don't have to go all the way around all the other equipment.”
On average, five to eight patients per day undergo EEG testing. Each test takes 60-75 minutes including setup. This unit will be used in all outpatient and inpatient units in our Hospital including Neurology, Paediatrics, and ICU/NICU.
The new EEG amplifier is another example of how your Thunder Bay 50/50 ticket purchases are helping patients at our Hospital every day. That's because no matter who wins the Grand Prize, we all win! Visit our Thunder Bay 50/50 Store at Intercity Shopping Centre for tickets. Or, find out what the Grand Prize is right now and buy your tickets online at: thunderbay5050.ca