Abstract
The interpretation of muscle biopsies is complex and provides the most useful information when integrated with the clinical presentation of the patient. These biopsies are performed for workup of a wide range of diseases including dystrophies, metabolic diseases, and inflammatory processes. Recent insights have led to changes in the classification of inflammatory myopathies and have changed the role that muscle biopsies have in the workup of inherited diseases. These changes will be reviewed. This review follows a morphology-driven approach by discussing diseases of skeletal muscle based on a few basic patterns that include cases with (1) active myopathic damage and inflammation, (2) active myopathic damage without associated inflammation, (3) chronic myopathic changes, (4) myopathies with distinctive inclusions or vacuoles, (5) biopsies mainly showing atrophic changes, and (6) biopsies that appear normal on routine preparations. Each of these categories goes along with certain diagnostic considerations and pitfalls. Individual biopsy features are only rarely pathognomonic. Establishing a firm diagnosis therefore typically requires integration of all of the biopsy findings and relevant clinical information. With this approach, a muscle biopsy can often provide helpful information in the diagnostic workup of patients presenting with neuromuscular problems.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 462-483 |
| Number of pages | 22 |
| Journal | Modern Pathology |
| Volume | 32 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Apr 1 2019 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pathology and Forensic Medicine
Cite this
A pattern-based approach to the interpretation of skeletal muscle biopsies. / Cai, Chunyu; Anthony, Douglas C.; Pytel, Peter.
In: Modern Pathology, Vol. 32, No. 4, 01.04.2019, p. 462-483.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - A pattern-based approach to the interpretation of skeletal muscle biopsies
AU - Cai, Chunyu
AU - Anthony, Douglas C.
AU - Pytel, Peter
PY - 2019/4/1
Y1 - 2019/4/1
N2 - The interpretation of muscle biopsies is complex and provides the most useful information when integrated with the clinical presentation of the patient. These biopsies are performed for workup of a wide range of diseases including dystrophies, metabolic diseases, and inflammatory processes. Recent insights have led to changes in the classification of inflammatory myopathies and have changed the role that muscle biopsies have in the workup of inherited diseases. These changes will be reviewed. This review follows a morphology-driven approach by discussing diseases of skeletal muscle based on a few basic patterns that include cases with (1) active myopathic damage and inflammation, (2) active myopathic damage without associated inflammation, (3) chronic myopathic changes, (4) myopathies with distinctive inclusions or vacuoles, (5) biopsies mainly showing atrophic changes, and (6) biopsies that appear normal on routine preparations. Each of these categories goes along with certain diagnostic considerations and pitfalls. Individual biopsy features are only rarely pathognomonic. Establishing a firm diagnosis therefore typically requires integration of all of the biopsy findings and relevant clinical information. With this approach, a muscle biopsy can often provide helpful information in the diagnostic workup of patients presenting with neuromuscular problems.
AB - The interpretation of muscle biopsies is complex and provides the most useful information when integrated with the clinical presentation of the patient. These biopsies are performed for workup of a wide range of diseases including dystrophies, metabolic diseases, and inflammatory processes. Recent insights have led to changes in the classification of inflammatory myopathies and have changed the role that muscle biopsies have in the workup of inherited diseases. These changes will be reviewed. This review follows a morphology-driven approach by discussing diseases of skeletal muscle based on a few basic patterns that include cases with (1) active myopathic damage and inflammation, (2) active myopathic damage without associated inflammation, (3) chronic myopathic changes, (4) myopathies with distinctive inclusions or vacuoles, (5) biopsies mainly showing atrophic changes, and (6) biopsies that appear normal on routine preparations. Each of these categories goes along with certain diagnostic considerations and pitfalls. Individual biopsy features are only rarely pathognomonic. Establishing a firm diagnosis therefore typically requires integration of all of the biopsy findings and relevant clinical information. With this approach, a muscle biopsy can often provide helpful information in the diagnostic workup of patients presenting with neuromuscular problems.
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U2 - 10.1038/s41379-018-0164-x
DO - 10.1038/s41379-018-0164-x
M3 - Review article
C2 - 30401945
AN - SCOPUS:85056114250
VL - 32
SP - 462
EP - 483
JO - Modern pathology : an official journal of the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology, Inc
JF - Modern pathology : an official journal of the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology, Inc
SN - 0893-3952
IS - 4
ER -