Can any neurologist diagnose ALS?

Every neurologist is familiar with the diagnostic criteria for ALS. The typical signs of early-stage ALS (weakness, muscle wasting, stiffness, fasciculations, or other symptoms) can already be identified during a physical examination at a doctor’s office. These suspicious findings indicate the need for additional diagnostic tests (e.g., EMG, electroneurography), which is carried out through referral to specialized clinics (for EMG) or other specialist practices (radiology with magnetic resonance imaging) or through admission to a hospital (with a neurology department). Overall, the outpatient neurologist makes a presumptive diagnosis of ALS, which is then confirmed or (in a small number of cases) ruled out through comprehensive diagnostic testing at a neurological clinic.