How long does an EEG take?

  EEG is a commonly used ancillary test in neurology to check for abnormalities in brain waves and is indicated for many types of diseases, such as various types of epilepsy, central nervous system infections, vascular headaches, cerebrovascular disease, etc.  The time required for EEG varies from one EEG test to another. A general EEG at rest usually takes 10-30 minutes to complete, while a dynamic EEG usually requires 24-hour dynamic monitoring of EEG changes to determine if there are abnormal brain waves based on the EEG waveform. For children, two sleep cycles, about 3 hours, are needed to determine the presence of epileptic waves.  In addition, a long-range EEG takes at least 24 hours. It is performed by video recording the patient’s symptoms and seizure form at the time of onset, so that the site of abnormal EEG waveform can be determined and aggressive medication and, if necessary, surgical treatment can be performed. However, in patients with seizures without clinical symptoms, several long-range EEGs or even dozens of 24-hour video EEGs are required to monitor the patient to specifically assess disease progression.