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Neuromuscular Medicine Glossary

100 terms total — 24 showing — Last updated 15 Sep 2026

AAEM AAEM

Intermediate Formal IVT

American Association of Electrodiagnostic Medicine, the professional organization that sets standards for electrodiagnostic testing and neuromuscular medicine practice.

Showing 73–96 of 100

neuromyotonia

Advanced Technical IVT

Continuous muscle contractions due to peripheral nerve hyperexcitability, often associated with voltage-gated potassium...

Medical Condition Full entry →

Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis

Advanced Technical IVT

A group of inherited lysosomal storage disorders characterized by accumulation of lipofuscin-like material, often presen...

Technical Term Full entry →

neuropathy

Intermediate Technical IVT

Disease or dysfunction of peripheral nerves causing weakness, numbness, or pain.

Technical Term Full entry →

ocular myasthenia gravis

Intermediate Technical IVT

A localized form of myasthenia gravis affecting only the extraocular muscles and eyelids.

Technical Term Full entry →

polymyositis

Professional Technical IVT

Inflammatory muscle disease causing proximal muscle weakness and elevated muscle enzymes.

Technical Term Full entry →

Polyphasic Potential

Professional Technical IVT

An EMG motor unit potential with five or more phases, often indicating muscle fiber dropout or temporal dispersion withi...

Technical Term Full entry →

positive sharp wave

Professional Technical IVT

Spontaneous electrical discharge from denervated muscle fibers with characteristic initial positive deflection.

Diagnostic Finding Full entry →

Pseudomyotonic Discharge

Professional Technical IVT

An EMG pattern that resembles myotonic discharge but lacks the characteristic frequency and amplitude variation, often s...

Technical Term Full entry →

ptosis

Intermediate Technical IVT

Drooping of the upper eyelid, often indicating neuromuscular junction or cranial nerve pathology.

Technical Term Full entry →

pyridostigmine

Advanced Technical IVT

Anticholinesterase medication used as first-line symptomatic treatment for myasthenia gravis by improving neuromuscular...

Technical Term Full entry →

recruitment pattern

Professional Technical IVT

The orderly activation and firing pattern of motor units during voluntary muscle contraction assessed by EMG.

Diagnostic Parameter Full entry →

Reinnervation Potential

Professional Technical IVT

Large-amplitude, long-duration, polyphasic motor unit potentials indicating sprouting and reinnervation of denervated mu...

Technical Term Full entry →

repetitive nerve stimulation

Professional Technical IVT

Electrophysiological test using repeated nerve stimulation to detect neuromuscular junction disorders.

RNS
Technical Term Full entry →

rhabdomyolysis

Intermediate Technical IVT

Rapid breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue releasing toxic cellular contents into the bloodstream.

Technical Term Full entry →

Rimmed Vacuole

Advanced Technical IVT

A pathological muscle fiber feature consisting of vacuoles with basophilic rims, characteristic of inclusion body myosit...

Technical Term Full entry →

Ryanodine receptor

Advanced Technical IVT

Intracellular calcium release channel in muscle. Mutations cause specific myopathies and malignant hyperthermia suscepti...

Technical Term Full entry →

sarcolemmal membrane

Advanced Technical IVT

The plasma membrane surrounding individual muscle fibers, critical for excitation-contraction coupling.

Technical Term Full entry →

Satellite Cell

Advanced Technical IVT

Quiescent muscle stem cells that activate during muscle injury to facilitate repair and regeneration, important in under...

Technical Term Full entry →

SFEMG

Professional Technical IVT

Single-fiber electromyography; specialized technique recording individual muscle fiber action potentials to assess neuro...

Abbreviation Full entry →

SNAP

Professional Technical IVT

Sensory nerve action potential measured in nerve conduction studies to assess sensory nerve function.

Abbreviation Full entry →

spinal muscular atrophy

Professional Technical IVT

Genetic neuromuscular disorder caused by motor neuron degeneration, leading to progressive muscle weakness and atrophy.

SMA
Technical Term Full entry →

Supramaximal Stimulation

Professional Technical IVT

Electrical nerve stimulation intensity that is 20-30% above the level needed to achieve maximum compound motor action po...

Technical Term Full entry →

temporal dispersion

Professional Technical IVT

Broadening and distortion of CMAP waveform due to differential slowing of individual nerve fibers.

Diagnostic Finding Full entry →

Tensilon test

Intermediate Technical IVT

Diagnostic procedure using edrophonium chloride injection to temporarily improve weakness in suspected myasthenia gravis...

Technical Term Full entry →
Showing 73–96 of 100

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