Quantitative Sensory Testing (QST) is based on well-developed psychophysical methods that define not only the stimulus, but also the response. It is the best approach to detect, characterize, and quantitate sensory abnormalities, and is therefore useful in both epidemiologic and controlled clinical trials.

Decreased ability to recognize vibration sensation can be an early sign of such neurological diseases such as diabetic polyneuropathy. Vibration Detection Threshold testing (VDT) is a clinically meaningful indicator of Aαβ sensory dysfunction.

Assessment of cool sensation, Cooling Detection Threshold Testing (CDT), can be useful in demonstrating abnormality in small fiber neuropathy.

QST is useful for characterizing sensation:

1. In disease by class of sensory receptors and nerve fibers for recognition of
2. Hyposensitivity or hypersensitivity
3. Anatomic patterns of abnormality
4. Hyperalgesia
5. In epidemiologic surveys, controlled clinical trials, or in other research.

CASE IV QST Systems provide the most sophisticated level of QST testing. All aspects are standardized, predetermined, and controlled, including the precondition of the patient, the environment for testing, the baseline of the stimulus, the stimulus waveform, the algorithm of testing, and comparison of results to those of a normal population.

CASE IV QST Systems include stimulators for thermal (cooling, warming, and heat-as-pain threshold detection) and/or vibration threshold detection. Systems include devices for calibration verification, assuring the cleanest data possible for your trial or clinical testing.

Patient instruction cards standardized, and available in English, Spanish, German, and French.

Cooling, warming, and vibration algorithms consist of a 4-2-1 Stepping Algorithm and a longer Forced Choice Algorithm. A broad range of stimulus magnitudes are provided so that the most sensitive and insensitive sites and areas of sensation loss are detected.

Null stimuli are included in all test types to equalize response criteria among patients, and to ensure patient cooperation and instruction.

The CASE IV Vibration stimulator consists of a flat disk placed on the dorsum of the hand or foot on a non-calloused area, and vibrating at 125 Hz.

The CASE IV Thermal stimulator consists of a thermoelectric unit placed on the dorsum of the hand or foot (and several other anatomic locations) with a linear ramp of cooling and warming of 4°/second.

The CASE IV QST System can be used alone or as part of a WR TestWorks Autonomic lab.

On–site installation and training are provided for all sites in the USA and Canada.