Seward Rutkove Laboratory
Our focus is on translational research into the development of novel diagnostics and therapeutics for the care of individuals with neuromuscular disease. Our lab focuses on a wide range of disorders affecting adults and children, including:
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- Neuropathies
- Muscular dystrophy
- Radiculopathy and spinal nerve compression syndromes
- Spinal muscular atrophy
- Inflammatory myopathies
Much of our work involves the refinement of innovative bioengineering approaches to diagnosing and treating these disorders. However, we are also interested in studying mechanism of disease pathogenesis and potential therapeutics. Finally, we also have an abiding interest in clinical neurophysiological measures as well as novel indices of disease status.
Learn more about the Seward Rutkove Lab
listed in reverse chronological order
1: Ahad MA, Narayanaswami P, Kasselman LJ, Rutkove SB. The effect of subacute
denervation on the electrical anisotropy of skeletal muscle: implications for
clinical diagnostic testing. Clin Neurophysiol. 2010 Jun;121(6):882-6. Epub 2010
Feb 11. PubMed PMID: 20153247.
2: Kasselman LJ, Veves A, Gibbons CH, Rutkove SB. Cold exposure exacerbates the
development of diabetic polyneuropathy in the rat. Exp Diabetes Res.
2009;2009:827943. Epub 2010 Jan 14. PubMed PMID: 20130819; PubMed Central PMCID:
PMC2814234.
3: Ahad MA, Rutkove SB. Finite element analysis of electrical impedance myography
in the rat hind limb. Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2009;2009:630-3. PubMed
PMID: 19964481; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2821571.
4: Ahad MA, Fogerson PM, Rosen GD, Narayanaswami P, Rutkove SB. Electrical
characteristics of rat skeletal muscle in immaturity, adulthood and after sciatic
nerve injury, and their relation to muscle fiber size. Physiol Meas. 2009
Dec;30(12):1415-27. Epub 2009 Nov 4. PubMed PMID: 19887721; PubMed Central PMCID:
PMC2821572.
5: Tarulli AW, Duggal N, Esper GJ, Garmirian LP, Fogerson PM, Lin CH, Rutkove SB.
Electrical impedance myography in the assessment of disuse atrophy. Arch Phys Med
Rehabil. 2009 Oct;90(10):1806-10. PubMed PMID: 19801075; PubMed Central PMCID:
PMC2829834.
6: Rutkove SB. Electrical impedance myography: Background, current state, and
future directions. Muscle Nerve. 2009 Dec;40(6):936-46. Review. PubMed PMID:
19768754; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2824130.
7: Rutkove SB. A 52-year-old woman with disabling peripheral neuropathy: review
of diabetic polyneuropathy. JAMA. 2009 Oct 7;302(13):1451-8. Epub 2009 Sep 8.
PubMed PMID: 19738078.
8: Perry DI, Tarulli AW, Nardin RA, Rutkove SB, Gautam S, Narayanaswami P.
Clinical utility of electrodiagnostic studies in the inpatient setting. Muscle
Nerve. 2009 Aug;40(2):195-9. PubMed PMID: 19609901.
9: Ahad MA, Rutkove SB. Electrical impedance myography at 50kHz in the rat:
technique, reproducibility, and the effects of sciatic injury and recovery. Clin
Neurophysiol. 2009 Aug;120(8):1534-8. Epub 2009 Jun 30. PubMed PMID: 19570710;
PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2762741.
10: Kasselman LJ, Shefner JM, Rutkove SB. Motor unit number estimation in the rat
tail using a modified multipoint stimulation technique. Muscle Nerve. 2009
Jul;40(1):115-21. PubMed PMID: 19533644.
11: Tarulli AW, Garmirian LP, Fogerson PM, Rutkove SB. Localized muscle impedance
abnormalities in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. J Clin Neuromuscul Dis. 2009
Mar;10(3):90-6. PubMed PMID: 19258856; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2654760.
12: Rutkove S. Electrical impedance myography as a biomarker for ALS. Lancet
Neurol. 2009 Mar;8(3):226; author reply 227. PubMed PMID: 19233030; PubMed
Central PMCID: PMC2719292.
13: Rutkove SB, Veves A, Mitsa T, Nie R, Fogerson PM, Garmirian LP, Nardin RA.
Impaired distal thermoregulation in diabetes and diabetic polyneuropathy.
Diabetes Care. 2009 Apr;32(4):671-6. Epub 2009 Feb 5. PubMed PMID: 19196899;
PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2660475.
14: Ogunnika OT, Scharfstein M, Cooper RC, Ma H, Dawson JL, Rutkove SB. A
Handheld Electrical Impedance Myography probe for the assessment of neuromuscular
disease. Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2008;2008:3566-9. PubMed PMID:
19163479; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2706091.
15: Garmirian LP, Chin AB, Rutkove SB. Discriminating neurogenic from myopathic
disease via measurement of muscle anisotropy. Muscle Nerve. 2009 Jan;39(1):16-24.
PubMed PMID: 19058193; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2719295.
16: Rutkove SB, Fogerson PM, Garmirian LP, Tarulli AW. Reference values for
50-kHZ electrical impedance myography. Muscle Nerve. 2008 Sep;38(3):1128-32.
PubMed PMID: 18642375; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2535900.
17: Chin AB, Garmirian LP, Nie R, Rutkove SB. Optimizing measurement of the
electrical anisotropy of muscle. Muscle Nerve. 2008 May;37(5):560-5. PubMed PMID:
18404614; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2742672.
18: Narayanaswami P, Chapman KM, Yang ML, Rutkove SB. Psoriatic
arthritis-associated polyneuropathy: a report of three cases. J Clin Neuromuscul
Dis. 2007 Sep;9(1):248-51. PubMed PMID: 17989588.
19: Rutkove SB, Nie R, Mitsa T, Nardin RA. A methodology for the real-time
measurement of distal extremity temperature. Physiol Meas. 2007
Nov;28(11):1421-8. Epub 2007 Oct 12. PubMed PMID: 17978425.
20: Rutkove SB, Zhang H, Schoenfeld DA, Raynor EM, Shefner JM, Cudkowicz ME, Chin AB, Aaron R, Shiffman CA. Electrical impedance myography to assess outcome in
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis clinical trials. Clin Neurophysiol. 2007
Nov;118(11):2413-8. Epub 2007 Sep 25. PubMed PMID: 17897874; PubMed Central
PMCID: PMC2080665.
21: Tarulli AW, Chin AB, Lee KS, Rutkove SB. Impact of skin-subcutaneous fat
layer thickness on electrical impedance myography measurements: an initial
assessment. Clin Neurophysiol. 2007 Nov;118(11):2393-7. Epub 2007 Sep 21. PubMed
PMID: 17889597; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2080664.
22: Tarulli AW, Chin AB, Partida RA, Rutkove SB. Electrical impedance in bovine
skeletal muscle as a model for the study of neuromuscular disease. Physiol Meas.
2006 Dec;27(12):1269-79. Epub 2006 Oct 10. PubMed PMID: 17135699.
23: Aaron R, Esper GJ, Shiffman CA, Bradonjic K, Lee KS, Rutkove SB. Effects of
age on muscle as measured by electrical impedance myography. Physiol Meas. 2006
Oct;27(10):953-9. Epub 2006 Jul 25. PubMed PMID: 16951455.
24: Esper GJ, Shiffman CA, Aaron R, Lee KS, Rutkove SB. Assessing neuromuscular
disease with multifrequency electrical impedance myography. Muscle Nerve. 2006
Nov;34(5):595-602. PubMed PMID: 16881067.
25: Nie R, Sunmonu NA, Chin AB, Lee KS, Rutkove SB. Electrical impedance
myography: transitioning from human to animal studies. Clin Neurophysiol. 2006
Aug;117(8):1844-9. Epub 2006 Jun 30. PubMed PMID: 16807097.
26: Rutkove SB, Lee KS, Shiffman CA, Aaron R. Test-retest reproducibility of 50
kHz linear-electrical impedance myography. Clin Neurophysiol. 2006
Jun;117(6):1244-8. Epub 2006 Apr 27. PubMed PMID: 16644269.
27: Tarulli A, Rutkove SB. Lumbosacral plexitis. J Clin Neuromuscul Dis. 2005
Dec;7(2):72-8. PubMed PMID: 19078788.
28: Gozani SN, Fisher MA, Kong X, Megerian JT, Rutkove SB. Electrodiagnostic
automation: principles and practice. Phys Med Rehabil Clin N Am. 2005
Nov;16(4):1015-32, x. Review. PubMed PMID: 16214057.
29: Tarulli A, Esper GJ, Lee KS, Aaron R, Shiffman CA, Rutkove SB. Electrical
impedance myography in the bedside assessment of inflammatory myopathy.
Neurology. 2005 Aug 9;65(3):451-2. PubMed PMID: 16087913.
30: Rutkove SB, Esper GJ, Lee KS, Aaron R, Shiffman CA. Electrical impedance
myography in the detection of radiculopathy. Muscle Nerve. 2005 Sep;32(3):335-41.
PubMed PMID: 15948202.
31: Rutkove SB, Chapman KM, Acosta JA, Larrabee JE. Foot temperature in diabetic
polyneuropathy: innocent bystander or unrecognized accomplice? Diabet Med. 2005
Mar;22(3):231-8. Review. PubMed PMID: 15717867.
32: Rutkove SB, Partida RA, Esper GJ, Aaron R, Shiffman CA. Electrode position
and size in electrical impedance myography. Clin Neurophysiol. 2005
Feb;116(2):290-9. PubMed PMID: 15661107.
33: Miller FW, Rider LG, Plotz PH, Rutkove SB, Pestronk A, Wortmann RL, Lundberg
IE, Argov Z, Isenberg DA, Lacomis D, Oddis CV. Polymyositis: an overdiagnosed
entity. Neurology. 2004 Jul 27;63(2):402; author reply 403. PubMed PMID:
15277657.
34: Benatar M, Chapman KM, Rutkove SB. Repetitive nerve stimulation for the
evaluation of peripheral nerve hyperexcitability. J Neurol Sci. 2004 Jun
15;221(1-2):47-52. PubMed PMID: 15178213.
35: Tarsy D, Apetaurova D, Rutkove SB. Palmaris brevis spasm: An occupational
syndrome. Neurology. 2004 Mar 9;62(5):838. PubMed PMID: 15007155.
36: Rutkove SB. Pattern recognition. Neurology. 2003 Aug 26;61(4):585-6. PubMed
PMID: 12939454.
37: Acosta JA, Hoffman SN, Raynor EM, Nardin RA, Rutkove SB. Ulnar neuropathy in
the forearm: A possible complication of diabetes mellitus. Muscle Nerve. 2003
Jul;28(1):40-5. PubMed PMID: 12811771.
38: Kang PB, Hoffman SN, Krimitsos E, Rutkove SB. Ambulatory foot temperature
measurement: a new technique in polyneuropathy evaluation. Muscle Nerve. 2003
Jun;27(6):737-42. PubMed PMID: 12766986.
39: Shiffman CA, Aaron R, Rutkove SB. Electrical impedance of muscle during
isometric contraction. Physiol Meas. 2003 Feb;24(1):213-34. PubMed PMID:
12636198.
40: Nardin RA, Rutkove SB, Raynor EM. Diagnostic accuracy of electrodiagnostic
testing in the evaluation of weakness. Muscle Nerve. 2002 Aug;26(2):201-5. PubMed
PMID: 12210383.
41: Fraenkel PG, Rutkove SB, Matheson JK, Fowkes M, Cannon ME, Patti ME, Atkins
MB, Gollob JA. Induction of myasthenia gravis, myositis, and insulin-dependent
diabetes mellitus by high-dose interleukin-2 in a patient with renal cell cancer.
J Immunother. 2002 Jul-Aug;25(4):373-8. PubMed PMID: 12142560.
42: Rutkove SB, Parker RA, Nardin RA, Connolly CE, Felice KJ, Raynor EM. A pilot
randomized trial of oxandrolone in inclusion body myositis. Neurology. 2002 Apr
9;58(7):1081-7. PubMed PMID: 11940697.
43: Rutkove SB, Aaron R, Shiffman CA. Localized bioimpedance analysis in the
evaluation of neuromuscular disease. Muscle Nerve. 2002 Mar;25(3):390-7. PubMed
PMID: 11870716.
44: Rutkove SB. Focal cooling improves neuronal conduction in peroneal neuropathy
at the fibular neck. Muscle Nerve. 2001 Dec;24(12):1622-6. PubMed PMID: 11745971.
45: Sax TW, Linfante I, Lichtenstein SH, Rutkove SB. Diabetic amyotrophy with
ipsilateral loss of the saphenous sensory response. Muscle Nerve. 2001
Oct;24(10):1404-5. PubMed PMID: 11562925.
46: Rutkove SB. Effects of temperature on neuromuscular electrophysiology. Muscle
Nerve. 2001 Jul;24(7):867-82. Review. PubMed PMID: 11410914.
47: Rutkove SB, Geffroy MA, Lichtenstein SH. Heat-sensitive conduction block in
ulnar neuropathy at the elbow. Clin Neurophysiol. 2001 Feb;112(2):280-5. PubMed
PMID: 11165530.
48: Molloy FM, Raynor EM, Rutkove SB. Maternal Bilateral Radial Neuropathy During
Childbirth in Hereditary Neuropathy With a Predisposition to Pressure Palsies
(HNPP). J Clin Neuromuscul Dis. 2000 Mar;1(3):131-3. PubMed PMID: 19078571.
49: Rutkove SB. Pseudofacilitation: A temperature-sensitive phenomenon. Muscle
Nerve. 2000 Jan;23(1):115-8. PubMed PMID: 10590415.
50: Rutkove SB, Raynor EM, Blum AS, Wang AK. AAEM news and comments. Muscle
Nerve. 1999 Jul;22(7):975-82. PubMed PMID: 10398225.
51: Rutkove SB, Raynor EM, Blum AS, Wang AK. Reply. Muscle Nerve. 1999
Jul;22(7):970-1. PubMed PMID: 10398224.
52: Rutkove SB. Reduction of motor artifact in antidromic ulnar sensory studies.
Muscle Nerve. 1999 Apr;22(4):520-2. PubMed PMID: 10204789.
53: Nardin RA, Patel MR, Gudas TF, Rutkove SB, Raynor EM. Electromyography and
magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of radiculopathy. Muscle Nerve. 1999
Feb;22(2):151-5. PubMed PMID: 10024127.
54: Wang AK, Raynor EM, Blum AS, Rutkove SB. Heat sensitivity of sensory fibers
in carpal tunnel syndrome. Muscle Nerve. 1999 Jan;22(1):37-42. PubMed PMID:
9883855.
55: Rutkove SB, Shefner JM, Wang AK, Ronthal M, Raynor EM. High-temperature
repetitive nerve stimulation in myasthenia gravis. Muscle Nerve. 1998
Nov;21(11):1414-8. PubMed PMID: 9771664.
56: Nardin RA, Raynor EM, Rutkove SB. Fibrillations in lumbosacral paraspinal
muscles of normal subjects. Muscle Nerve. 1998 Oct;21(10):1347-9. PubMed PMID:
9736070.
57: Rutkove SB. Hereditary thermosensitive neuropathy. Neurology. 1998
Jul;51(1):329. PubMed PMID: 9674846.
58: Rutchik JS, Rutkove SB. Effect of temperature on motor responses in
organophosphate intoxication. Muscle Nerve. 1998 Jul;21(7):958-60. PubMed PMID:
9626261.
59: Donahue JE, Raynor EM, Rutkove SB. Forearm velocity in carpal tunnel
syndrome: when is slow too slow? . Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1998 Feb;79(2):181-3.
Erratum in: Arch Phys Med Rehabil 1998 Jun;79(6):723. PubMed PMID: 9474001.
60: Kothari MJ, Heistand M, Rutkove SB. Three ulnar nerve conduction studies in
patients with ulnar neuropathy at the elbow. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1998
Jan;79(1):87-9. PubMed PMID: 9440424.
61: Rutkove SB, Kothari MJ, Raynor EM, Levy ML, Fadic R, Nardin RA. Sural/radial
amplitude ratio in the diagnosis of mild axonal polyneuropathy. Muscle Nerve.
1997 Oct;20(10):1236-41. PubMed PMID: 9324079.
62: Rutkove SB. An unusual axonal polyneuropathy induced by low-dose interferon
alfa-2a. Arch Neurol. 1997 Jul;54(7):907-8. PubMed PMID: 9236581.
63: Rutkove SB, Kothari MJ, Shefner JM. Nerve, muscle, and neuromuscular junction
electrophysiology at high temperature. Muscle Nerve. 1997 Apr;20(4):431-6. PubMed
PMID: 9121500.
64: Kothari MJ, Rutkove SB, Logigian EL, Shefner JM. Coexistent entrapment
neuropathies in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Arch Phys Med
Rehabil. 1996 Nov;77(11):1186-8. PubMed PMID: 8931534.
65: Rutkove SB, De Girolami U, Preston DC, Freeman R, Nardin RA, Gouras GK, Johns
DR, Raynor EM. Myotonia in colchicine myoneuropathy. Muscle Nerve. 1996
Jul;19(7):870-5. PubMed PMID: 8965841.
66: Caress JB, Rutkove SB, Carlin M, Khoshbin S, Preston DC. Paraspinal muscle
hematoma after electromyography. Neurology. 1996 Jul;47(1):269-72. PubMed PMID:
8710094.
67: Rutkove SB, Matheson JK, Logigian EL. Restless legs syndrome in patients with
polyneuropathy. Muscle Nerve. 1996 May;19(5):670-2. PubMed PMID: 8618570.
68: Rutkove SB, Kothari MJ, Sampson C, Preston DC. The effect of wrist position
on the conduction velocity of the ulnar nerve. Muscle Nerve. 1996
May;19(5):657-8. PubMed PMID: 8618566.
69: Kothari MJ, Rutkove SB, Caress JB, Hinchey J, Logigian EL, Preston DC.
Comparison of digital sensory studies in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome.
Muscle Nerve. 1995 Nov;18(11):1272-6. PubMed PMID: 7565924.
70: Rutkove SB, Abdool Karim SS, Loening WE. Patterns of care in an overburdened
tertiary hospital outpatients department. S Afr Med J. 1990 May 5;77(9):476-8.
PubMed PMID: 2339314.
Contact Information
Seward B. Rutkove, MD
Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
330 Brookline Avenue
Boston, MA 02215