A physical therapist assisting an elderly man with arm exercises using small dumbbells in a rehabilitation setting.
Clinical Support Services

Clinical Support Services

At Stony Brook Neurosciences Institute, we offer a multidisciplinary approach to neurological care. Our range of services, resources, experience and facilities are unmatched on Long Island. When you come to us, you will have access to state-of-the art technology and the collective expertise of our talented staff. We collaborate with specialists from a wide variety of disciplines, increasing the services available to you and the depth of your care. We will develop a diagnostic and treatment plan specific to your unique needs, doing whatever it takes to ensure a better quality of life for you and your family. 

We are here to support you every step of the way throughout your care plan.

In addition to the wide-ranging host of clinical services available to you through the Neurosciences Institute, our core supporting services are described below. 

Our speech, language and hearing staff provides comprehensive evaluation and therapy services to individuals of all ages. People with the following conditions are seen in the department: 

  • Hearing
  • Balance
  • Tinnitus
  • Auditory processing
  • Feeding/swallowing
  • Speech/language
  • Voice/voice restoration. 

We also provide cochlear implant and BAHA assessments, surgeries, and fittings. Learn more about our services.

With a reputation as a leading authority on pain management, Stony Brook Medicine has offered pain management services to the people of Long Island for nearly 30 years. Our university-based program uses the biopsychosocial model of medicine to treat chronic and acute pain, provide palliative care, and improve the functionality and quality of life for our patients. 

Managing pain with a biopsychosocial approach means that we go far beyond simply prescribing medicine. We also incorporate psychological counseling, especially for patients with chronic pain, to investigate the root causes of pain, work with patients on exercise plans and physical therapy, and utilize appropriate technology. 

We work in partnership with area physicians to offer consultations, diagnoses, plans of treatment and multidisciplinary care. Approximately 70 percent of our cases involve chronic lower back pain, so we have developed strong working relationships with both spine surgeons and primary care doctors. 

We have the capabilities and expertise to treat ALL types of chronic and acute pain. For more information on our center, call (631) 638-0800.

The Anesthesiology Department at Stony Brook Neurosciences Institute offers acute inpatient pain management services for patients with short-term needs, chronic outpatient pain management services for longer-term issues, and pre-operative services for patients undergoing brain and spinal cord surgery. 

We use general and local anesthesia and both inhalational (inhaled as gasses through a mask) and intravenous (liquid injected in the arm) approaches. Our mission is to ease your pain and anxiety as much as possible, and we will work with you to implement a pain management plan best suited to your particular situation. Our research program is active, and we are pioneering some of the newest anesthesia techniques, the mechanism by which anesthetics work, how they may alter cognitive function and the conversion of acute to chronic pain.

At the Neurosciences Imaging Center, we create detailed pictures of your brain and spinal cord by using computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and other technologies. We have experience with a wide variety of advanced imaging sequences, including diffusion tensor imaging and spectroscopy. In addition, Stony Brook University Hospital has four MRI machines and five CT scanners. 

Most notably, Stony Brook has three 64-slice instruments and the only 320-slice CT scanner on Long Island. This instrument is ultra-fast and captures images that other technology cannot provide. On both MRI and CT, we utilize ultra-thin slices through the brain and spine to provide the most detailed images possible. These images allow us to carefully assess your condition, which is a necessary step toward developing a successful treatment strategy. Once the necessary imaging is complete, we will discuss the results in detail with you and your family, as well as plan for next steps. 

Our Center for Outpatient Services offers easy access, free parking, valet services, spacious and tranquil public areas, and food services. For an appointment, please call (631) 638-2121.

Our Ophthalmologic Group is committed to providing the best quality care for vision problems that originate in the brain and the eyes themselves. We offer routine care, as well as highly specialized evaluation and management of individual and rare conditions including:

  • Optic neuritis
  • Optic neuropathy
  • Migraine
  • Vision loss
  • Transient vision loss
  • Double vision
  • Eye movement disorders
  • Blepharospasm
  • Droopy eyelid and other eyelid conditions

Our comprehensive screening services generally involve a combination of an eye exam, visual fields, sensorimotor examination and physician-patient discussion. If appropriate, you will have access to advanced bioimaging technology, including fluorescein angiography, fundus photography, optical coherence tomography (OCT), confocal laser scanning imaging (HRT), corneal topography, ultrasonography and electrophysiology. 

All of our ophthalmologists have faculty appointments at the SUNY Stony Brook School of Medicine and are board-certified, including fellowship training in neuro-ophthalmology, orbital diseases and ocular complications of systemic diseases. Dr Sibony, Chair and Director of Neuro-ophthalmology, has more than 25 years of experience in the specialty.

Learn more about the Department of Ophthalmology at Stony Brook Medicine.

Learn more about Neuro-ophthalmology at Stony Brook Medicine.

A neuropathologist is a physician who uses laboratory methods for the diagnosis of disorders of the central nervous system, skeletal muscles and peripheral nervous system. When a patient has a biopsy of the brain, spinal cord, muscle or nerve, the neuropathologist reads the biopsy.

Many patients with neurological and neuromuscular disorders are not aware that a neuropathologist is involved in their care, but for all patients who have biopsies and even some who do not, the neuropathologist is an integral member of the team of physicians and other professionals involved in their care. 

At Stony Brook Medicine, your neuropathologist employs a high level of expertise to arrive at the correct diagnosis for you and is available and willing to assist you with any concerns that you have regarding your pathology. The support staff of the Department of Pathology consists of many individuals who are deeply committed to helping patients and their families when they have special requests regarding their pathology specimens or reports.

To reach the main office of the Department of Pathology, please call (631) 444-3000.

Our Neuropsychology Service addresses the ways in which the brain and nervous system affect cognitive function, emotions and behavior. We offer detailed evaluations for a range of neurological and neurodevelopmental conditions, including:

  • Epilepsy
  • HIV infection
  • Hydrocephalus
  • Traumatic brain injury
  • Dementias
  • Autoimmune disorders
  • Brain tumors
  • Developmental disorders

Our evaluations are crucial for information gathering, as each individual has a unique history and set of symptoms. We test general intelligence, attention and executive functions, language, memory, emotional functioning, personality, and more via paper-and-pencil questionnaires, interviews and computerized measures. Once we have gathered sufficient information, we will provide support and consultation to guide rehabilitation, treatment and adaptation to school or work. These may include referral to our clinical staff for one-on-one or group treatment. We also participate, both as principal investigators and co-investigators, in a wide range of research activities relevant to applied and clinical neuroscience.

To make an appointment, please call (631) 444-8053.

Neurotrauma at Stony Brook Medicine focuses on the emergency treatment and management of injuries to the spinal cord, head and brain, and peripheral nerves. Stony Brook University Hospital is the only designated Level 1 Trauma center in Suffolk County. We offer comprehensive care through a multidisciplinary team of neurosurgeons, trauma surgeons, emergency physicians, orthopaedic surgeons, critical care doctors, specialty trained nurses, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, and respiratory, physical and occupational therapists. 

Our six neurosurgeons are highly skilled with a variety of the newest techniques, including minimally invasive craniotomy. Patients who arrive via ambulance or helicopter are transported to our Shock Trauma Unit immediately for emergency evaluation and treatment. Our Neuro Intensive Care Unit provides round-the-clock treatment in a state-of-the-art environment. 

Stony Brook Trauma Center is listed in the top 4 percent of centers nationwide by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Our goal is to provide rapid, effective treatment, as "time is brain," meaning the quicker we are able to address the issue, the less likely there will be lasting damage.

Stony Brook offers the most diverse occupational, physical and speech therapy services in Suffolk County. We provide support for patients with acute and chronic neurologic conditions resulting from surgery, injury or illness. 

Our skilled therapists will perform a comprehensive evaluation to assess neuromuscular health and to make individualized recommendations for your plan of care. We will discuss all aspects of your care openly and honestly, focus on your goals while developing your care plan, and communicate with any referring physicians about your progress and treatment. 

Our 11,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art outpatient therapy center in East Setauket is equipped with a heated therapeutic pool, computerized balance equipment, body weight supported treadmill, cardiac telemetry, a full range of exercise machines and locker rooms. Our physical therapists provide a variety of techniques, including neuromuscular re-education, balance and coordination activities, gait training, strengthening, range of motion, endurance training and biofeedback. Our occupational therapists focus on improving an individual's overall performance of daily living activities through the use of neuromuscular and sensorimotor re-education, coordination/dexterity, upper extremity range of motion and strength, cognition, visual perception, splinting and adaptive equipment. 

Your performance needs for home, workplace and/or school are considered in the development of your treatment plan. Our speech services are available to treat patients with head injury, developmental disability, language and speech, hearing and vision, eating and swallowing impairments, and other neurological problems.

For more information about our services, call:

At Stony Brook Neurosciences Institute, pediatric neurologists and Suffolk County's only board-certified pediatric neurosurgeon have the expertise to provide specialized care for infants, toddlers and adolescents. 

We specialize in the surgical and medical treatment of pediatric neurological disorders, such as:

  • Hydrocephalus
  • Traumatic brain injury
  • Brain and spine tumors
  • Epilepsy
  • Autism

We strive to achieve a cure by using the least invasive methods possible to reduce pain and complications. Essential to the follow-up care for neurotrauma and serious head injuries is our pediatric intensive care unit (ICU). The Pediatric ICU is the only Pediatric-specific ICU in the county with pediatric surgery coverage 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, located within the Stony Brook Children's Hospital. 

For more information about our services or to make an appointment, call:

Pediatric Neurology: (631) 444-2599

Pediatric Neurosurgery: (631) 444-1213 (Option 1)

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