The Spurling test is not very sensitive, but it is specific for cervical radiculopathy diagnosed by electromyography. Therefore, it is not useful as a screening test, but it is clinically useful in helping to confirm a cervical radiculopathy.

This prospective, controlled, masked study of electrodiagnosis and magnetic resonance imaging for older subjects showed that imaging does not differentiate symptomatic from asymptomatic persons, whereas electrodiagnosis does. We believe that radiographic findings alone are insufficient to justify treatment for spinal stenosis.