ACNS 2012 Terminology

Spike-and-wave or Sharp-and-wave (SW) = polyspike, spike or sharp wave consistently followed by a slow wave in a regularly repeating and alternating pattern (spike-wave-spike-wave-spike-wave), with a consistent relationship between the spike (or polyspike or sharp wave) component and the slow wave; and with no interval between one spike-wave complex and the next (if there is an interval, this would qualify as PDs, where each discharge is a spike-and- wave).

NOTE 1: A pattern can qualify as rhythmic or periodic as long as it continues for at least 6 cycles (e.g. 1/s for 6 seconds, or 3/s for 2 seconds).

NOTE 2: If a pattern qualifies as both GPDs and RDA simultaneously, it should be coded as GPDs+ rather than RDA+ (see modifier 8 below for description of “+”).