How long should a routine EEG be?

Cost-benefit analysis in neurology practice deserves continual reassessment . One example is the duration of a routine electroencephalography (EEG) req uired to optimise accuracy of diagnosis. Recommended guidelines of recordin g a routine EEG for 20 or more minutes are not based on scientific evidence . In many countries, EEG is not economically viable with costs outweighing financial remuneration. We prospectively studied 420 consecutive routine EE Gs to see if a shorter record decreased diagnostic accuracy. A carefully st ructured 15 min routine EEG protocol produced comparable results with the 2 5 min recording. Shorter routine EEGs would make EEG more cost effective wi thout compromising diagnostic accuracy. (C) 1999 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.