From:  Paraplegia in the emergency room: spinal cord compression and Guillain-Barré syndrome—a 2025 scoping review from a multidisciplinary emergency perspective

 Diagnostic tests for Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) [1, 3, 5, 6].

Test nameDescriptionPurpose
Spinal tap (lumbar puncture)Needle aspiration of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from the lower backTo detect elevated protein levels in CSF, often without increased white blood cells
Electromyography (EMG)Thin needle electrodes are inserted into the muscle to measure electrical activityTo evaluate electrical activity and confirm nerve involvement
Nerve conduction studiesElectrodes were placed on the skin to stimulate nerves with small electrical impulsesTo assess the speed and strength of signals traveling through the nerve
Blood testTo detect infections and inflammatory markersTo rule out other causes and detect recent infection, like Campylobacter jejuni
Magnetic resonance imagingImaging of the spinal cord and nervesTo exclude other conditions that mimic GBS