Table 4 Diagnostic accuracy of sensory testing to detect cervical radiculopathy
From: Neurological examination for cervical radiculopathy: a scoping review
Author (year) | Cervical radiculopathy diagnostic criteria | Reference standard | nerve root level/dermatomal territory | Index test | Sensitivity (95% CI) | Specificity (95% CI) | + LR | - LR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hassan (2013) | clinical suspicion | Needle EMG and NCS (motor and sensory) | NA | Dermatomal testing (pinprick) | 25 (12–38) | 89 (83–95) | 2.27 | 0.84 |
Lauder (2000) | neck and upper-limb symptoms, confirmed by EDX | Needle EMG and NCS (motor and sensory) | NA | Dermatomal testing (vibration or pinprick) | 38 (NR) | 46 (NR) | 0.7 | 1.35 |
Wainner (2003) | clinical suspicion | Needle EMG and NCS (motor and sensory) | C5 | Dermatomal testing (papertip-like pinprick) | 29 (8–51) | 86 (77–94) | 2.1 | 0.82 |
|  |  |  | C6 | Dermatomal testing (papertip-like pinprick) | 24 (3–44) | 66 (54–78) | 0.69 | 1.16 |
|  |  |  | C7 | Dermatomal testing (papertip-like pinprick) | 18 (0–36) | 77 (66–87) | 0.76 | 1.07 |
|  |  |  | C8 | Dermatomal testing (papertip-like pinprick) | 12 (0–27) | 81 (71–90) | 0.61 | 1.09 |
Sleijser-Koehorst (2021) | clinical suspicion | MRI | NA | Dermatomal testing (soft ball) | 44 (32–57) | 72 (59–82) | 1.56 | 0.78 |
|  |  |  |  | Dermatomal testing (soft brush) | 42 (30–54) | 72 (59–82) | 1.42 | 0.79 |
Conradie (2006) | diagnosis of CR confirmed by MRI | MRI | NA | Light touch | 52 (30–74) |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  | Superficial pain | 62 (38–82) |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  | Sensory combined | 67 (43–85) |  |  |  |