How do you account for a normal EMG/NCS in the setting of prolonged clinical symptoms suggestive of a radiculopathy?

There are several references, but basically the sensitivity of NCS/EMG for radiculopathy is not great to begin with. In the context of radiculopathy, electrodiagnostic studies are mostly useful for picking up on motor axon loss because you are primarily assessing the amplitude of compound muscle act...

The NCS/EMG in radiculopathies, in my opinion, are done for 2 main reasons: to make sure there is nothing else going on in addition to the radiculopathy, i.e., a bad neuropathy (especially a demyelinating variety) and in this case, only if there are red flags in the history or exam. The second reaso...

False negative. Perhaps not infrequent? No test is 100% sensitive.