First Choice Ambulatory EEG Center
First Choice Neurology now offers at-home video EEG service. At-home EEG services, also known as ambulatory EEG monitoring, can help diagnose conditions such as epilepsy, brain tumors, and sleep disorders. During the test, electrodes are attached to the scalp to measure brain electrical activity, which is then recorded and stored on a device worn by the patient. Some services also involve video recording so that the patient can go about their normal routine while the EEG is being recorded.
What Is a Video EEG Test?
A video electroencephalography (EEG), also known as a video EEG monitoring (VEM) test, is a non-invasive procedure that records brain wave activity and video simultaneously. The video EEG records what you are doing or experiencing on video, while an EEG test records the electrical activity of the brain or brainwaves. The purpose is to be able to see what happens when you have a seizure or an event that is suspected to be a seizure.
The video is compared to what the EEG records at the same time. Sounds that occur during the testing are also recorded to pick up if a person talks or makes sounds during an event. By doing this, doctors reading the EEG can tell if the event is related to abnormal electrical activity in the brain. If so, then doctors would call this a seizure related to epilepsy.
Video EEG is helpful to:
• Determine if events with unusual features are epileptic seizures.
• Identify the type of seizures (like absence seizures) and their frequency
• Find the region of the brain where seizures begin. Locating the exact region is vital if epilepsy surgery is being considered.
Video EEG tests can be done at home, with our at-home video EEG service, or at an outpatient center, like an EEG lab. In some EEG labs, a patient may be monitored by an EEG and video over several hours in one day. This is good for people with seizure types that occur frequently, happen at specific times of the day, or can be easily and safely triggered (for example, by flashing lights).
At Home Video EEG Services:
A First Choice Neurology technician will visit the patient’s home to perform a video EEG test. Our at-home video EEG service records a patient's activity and seizures during their daily activities and while they are sleeping. Our Care Center monitors the patient intermittently over 24-76 hours. Certified EEG technicians will monitor all reports under the supervision of a board-certified epileptologist who will interpret the reports. Currently, our at-home video EEG is available in South Florida (Monroe, Miami-Dade, and Broward Counties).
Fill out the Ambulatory Video EEG Medical Necessity Order Form and email the form to ambveeg@fcneurology.net. If you have any questions, please call (954) 335-7111.