How to Measure a Patient for an EEG (10-20 system) 

Haha calculating the math in your head is rough sometimes!

Hey I’m glad you enjoy my videos. I’m here to help if you run into any problems trying to get registered

@Jared Beckwith, R. EEG T. Thank you!

Hey Barbara, thanks for sharing!

Thanks for watching Caitlin, I’m happy I could help you ❤️😊

You can refer back to it anytime 😊

Hi Hana, welcome to the field of EEG! I’m happy to help you learn with my videos. 👍

That’s a good idea, I haven’t done a video on wrapping the head yet. Thanks for watching & your feedback

Could you please show a video of a mannequin with hair and how to separate the hair cleanly? I know you have showed measuring with hair but it'd be super helpful to see how to part long hair into ponytails or braids to make measuring a breeze. I measure great with a bald mannequin but the one with hair is a struggle. Thank you for all the valuable info!

I have seen some students practice on a mannequin with braided hair, but I’ve never done it. I measure on top on the hair, and use my pen to mark the scalp underneath. It’s going to be difficult at first, because you won’t be able to see your marks through the hair. I suggest to double check the most difficult ones in the back T5/T6 and O1/O2. Don’t judge yourself too harshly and just keep practicing! I’ll make more videos to help you 😊

@@jaredbeckwith Thanks for your reply! I will be tested by my manager at the hospital (they are testing all employees) and the mannequin they are using has an afro so I am nervous. I practiced a bit but going over the hair actually messes up the measurements because of the thickness it's inaccurate. Appreciate all your help and advice! (: sitting for my board exam in 6 weeks so your vids are very helpful.

@@christinegiannetti7358 haha yes I remember messing up measuring a patient with an Afro. Just really aggressively part the hair before measuring and you’ll figure it out. I appreciate your support on my videos!

Can you make a video about comb electrodes and how to apply them to the head?

Thanks Christina, I think you’re great too 😊

Fp2 to F4 (25%) F4 to C4 (25%) C4 to P4 (25%) P4 to O2 (25%) 25% of 24 is 6. I hope this helps!

I always try to measure when possible. If wires are too close it makes the signal flatter, if wires are too far it makes the signal higher than normal. Precise measurement is also important in patients preparing for surgery. It sounds like they are rushing you requiring 1 hour for the study. I’d suggest to your boss to allow more time so you can measure, which will give the doctor better quality recordings.

@@jaredbeckwith With a" too close" and " too far" readings altering data , it would imply a helmet or stretchy hat with fixed probe distances would be good for a recording that is done on a weekly to month to year basis.

I think it’s confusing because Fpz and Oz are just landmarks down the midline, and we don’t actually place electrodes there. The distance between actual placed electrodes end up being all 10% in the headband. Ex: (Fp1 to Fp2) & (O1 to O2) Go around right side like this Fpz to Fp2 5% Fp2 to F8 10% F8 to T4 10% T4 to T6 10% T6 to O2 10% O2 to Oz 5% Then go around left side like this Fpz to Fp1 5% Fp1 to F7 10% F7 to T3 10% T3 to T5 10% T5 to O1 10% O1 to Oz 5% I usually skip the final 5% measurements to Oz because no electrode goes there, but it’s good to check your work when first learning.

Appreciate the support, I’ll keep making them for you my friend!

Thanks Dr Badwe!

Bald patients are definitely the easiest haha. You have to do your best to mark on the scalp through the hair. Never shave patients, you have to get good at parting the hair to get to the scalp when placing electrodes. It is difficult to find the markings in thick women’s hair, so you have to know the electrode site locations very well. It comes with practice after doing enough EEGs!

@@jaredbeckwith I can imagine. I’m hoping to start Labouré in September. All the admission documents submitted. Now i have to contact Neurodiagnostic departments in my area to get a clinical site.

Good luck finding a site! Just get a list of all hospitals in your area

With more channels you can add things like EKG and eye monitors. You can also more precisely localize epileptic activity with additional channels.

Great video idea, I’m sure a lot of other people have the same question. Step 1: Measure & mark the head Step 2: Check the measurements and write the actual distances. For example Nasion to Inion is 34 cm When checking your marks, you found them to be these numbers: Fpz 6.4 Fz 6.4 Cz 6.5 Pz 6.8 Oz Difference between largest & smallest measurement: 6.8-6.4 = 0.4 which is passing since under the limit of 1.0.

2 weeks is enough to learn the fundamentals and be ready for your first patient. The EEG tech will appreciate it if you’ve already memorized the electrode sites. 1. measure and mark the head 2. scrub spots with prep 3. place electrodes where you scrub 4. make sure each electrode is under 10k ohms impedance on the computer. 5. Rescrub electrodes that are higher than 10k ohms impedance. Once the electrodes are under 10k ohms, you know they have a good connection. 6. Start the EEG! If you are doing long term EEG setups, you’ll have to do an extra step of putting gauze on top of the electrodes with a glue called collodion and dry it with an air hose. Don’t worry my friend, you’ll be great after some practice. Let me know if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to help you!

I would Google “10-20 system” so you learn all the electrode spots on the head. After that, learn how to measure and mark a mannequin head. Once you can do that, start to time yourself and increase your speed. The faster you are in practice, the easier a real patient will be. At first, don’t worry about interpreting the EEG waves since it’s ultimately the doctor’s job. When starting out, focus on doing your best to put all the wires on in the correct spots. Your first patient will take a long time, but you will improve with experience. Practice makes perfect 👍

Thanks for you advice because I knew not where to start.. After watching your videos honestly I can say your a great instructor. I already have learned my placement I just now need to practice with 10-20 and progress everyday I get a chance to practice

So what kind of tape you use for the head

@@jamarcusgaltney5794 at the hospital I use a disposable paper tape. For practice I use a retractable tape. Anything that measures centimeters works

Document that you’ve done 50 EEGs, and you can apply for the registry exam. You can see all the ways to become registered and print the documentation form on the ABRET website: abret.org/index.php?cID=682

I never learned how to measure for FT9/FT10. They’re located down near the preauricular points where you measured from earlier.

Great feedback, I think it will help a lot of people. 😊

I’ve learned to do the inion to nation first than side to side. And to get the 20 percent, add the total number together and move the decimal over. I think it just depends on the region you’re learning from.

Good question! FpZ is 10% up from the nasion (middle of forehead) You won’t place an electrode there, but it is a mark you need to make that will help you measure the headband (circumference) and make the Fp1/Fp2 marks.

That’s a good idea, it would probably be hard to make connections with a bunch of hospitals though. I can always answer any questions you have on here for free too

@@jaredbeckwith I do it now for nursing as a former eeg tech it wouldn’t be hard it’s just a thought!

Hey I’m glad you found it helpful! Can email me jared@aioneeg.com

You’re right, I need to make a video using a real person next!

The only math you do on this job is taking 10% and 20% of different measurements. You also need to know how to subtract negative numbers for the board exam. There’s no advanced calculus or crazy math involved.

When I started my program last yr all my classmates including me had to use calculators bc we were rusty. Now we can do it in our heads bc it is easy math!! This was definitely one of my concerns before I started too :)

“Rowan’s Primer of EEG” has some nice pictures. I’ll try to make more videos for beginners as well!