Evoked Potential Fundamentals - Five Day Course
Course Dates

May 17 - 21, 2010 (Ann Arbor, MI) 995.00 Register
October 11 - 15, 2010 (Ann Arbor, MI) 995.00 Register

This five day course is designed to improve knowledge and skills necessary to adequately perform Evoked Potentials (EP) in the workplace and prepare for the national registry exam.

This course is also a good foundation for learning or sharpening Basic Intraoperative Monitoring (IOM) skills. Topics covered include: Introduction to Evoked Potentials, Instrumentation, Visual Evoked Potentials, upper and lower extremity Somatosensory Evoked Potentials, and Brainstem Auditory Evoked Potentials.

 INTRODUCTION TO EVOKED POTENTIALS AND INSTRUMENTATION  A detailed explanation of the EP INSTRUMENT is featured on day one.  An Introduction to Evoked Potentials modalities is followed by lectures on near-field vs far-field recording methods, stimulus types and characteristics, calibration, polarity, amplification (recording gain, display gain, sensitivity), and filters.  The averaging process will be explained in detail.  You will learn how the analysis time, number of points, dwell time and sampling rate determine horizontal resolution and how to calculate each.  Vertical resolution and the number of voltage levels expressed as bit capacity will be explained.  You will gain an understanding of the signal-to-noise ratio and its effect on the resolution of the signal.  You will gain a working knowledge of EP terminology.

VISUAL EVOKED POTENTIAL - VEP  Visual Evoked Potentials will be the focus of day two.  We will begin with an introduction of the VEP followed by anatomy and physiology of the Visual System, electrode placement, instrument parameters, visual angle, montage construction, and peak identification.  This series of lectures is followed by an extensive hands-on workshop where each participant will have the opportunity to function as a technologist and a patient.  The workshop is followed by lectures discussing waveform measurements, criteria for abnormality, and troubleshooting techniques.

UPPER EXTREMITY SOMATOSENSORY EVOKED POTENTIAL Upper Extremity SSEP will be the focus of day three.  We will begin with an introduction of  the Upper Extremity SSEP followed by anatomy and physiology of the Upper Extremity Somatosensory System, electrode placement, instrument parameters, montage construction, and peak identification.  This series of lectures is followed by an extensive hands-on workshop where each participant will have the opportunity to function as a technologist and a patient.  The workshop is followed by lectures discussing waveform measurements, criteria for abnormality, and troubleshooting techniques.

LOWER EXTREMITY SOMATOSENSORY EVOKED POTENTIAL  Lower Extremity SSEP will be covered on day four.  We will begin with an introduction of the Lower Extremity SSEP followed by anatomy and physiology of the Lower Extremity Somatosensory System, electrode placement, instrument parameters, montage construction, and peak identification.  This series of lectures is followed by an extensive hands-on workshop where each participant will have the opportunity to function as a technologist and a patient.  The workshop is followed by lectures discussing waveform measurements, criteria for abnormality, and troubleshooting techniques.

BRAINSTEM AUDITORY EVOKED POTENTIALS - BAEP  Brainstem Auditory Evoked Potentials will be covered on day five.  We begin with an introduction of Brainstem Auditory EP followed by anatomy and physiology of the Brainstem Auditory System, electrode placement, instrument parameters, montage construction, and peak identification.  This series of lectures is followed by an extensive hands-on workshop where each participant will have the opportunity to function as a technologist and a patient.  The workshop is followed by lectures discussing waveform measurements, criteria for abnormality, and troubleshooting techniques.