Which of the following is a typical use of electroencephalography?

• A. Peripheral nerve injuries
• B. Seizure activity
• C. Bone fractures
• D. Myocardial ischemia

Answer: (B)

Electroencephalography records the brain’s electrical activity with scalp electrodes and is especially used to evaluate seizure activity. Seizures produce characteristic electrical patterns—such as spikes and spike-and-wave discharges—that EEG can detect, making it the standard tool for diagnosing epilepsy, confirming seizure origin, and monitoring treatment or during sleep/video EEG studies when events are unclear.

The other scenarios aren’t typically assessed with EEG: peripheral nerve injuries are explored with nerve conduction studies and EMG; bone fractures are diagnosed with X-rays or CT scans; myocardial ischemia is evaluated with ECG. EEG focuses on brain activity, which is why seizure evaluation is its most common and relevant use.