Polymyositis (cont.)
How does the doctor diagnose polymyositis?
When a patient first sees the doctor, the recent symptoms
especially concerning weakness will be discussed. The condition of many
other body areas might be reviewed, for example, the skin, heart, lungs,
and joints. An examination will further focus on these and other systems.
Various measures of strength might be noted.
Blood testing usually (but not always) reveals
abnormally high levels of muscle enzymes, CPK or creatinine phosphokinase,
aldolase, SGOT, SGPT, and LDH. These enzymes are released into the blood by
muscle that is being damaged by inflammation. They can also be used as measures of the activity of the inflammation. Other routine blood and urine tests can also look for internal organ abnormalities. Chest X-rays, mammograms, PAP smears, and other
screening tests might be considered.
An electromyograph (EMG) and nerve conduction velocity are
electrical tests of muscle and nerves that can show abnormal findings
typical of polymyositis as well as exclude other nerve-muscle diseases.
Imaging of the muscles using radiology tests, such as
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI
scanning), can show areas of inflammation of muscle. This can sometimes can be used to determine muscle biopsy sites.
A muscle biopsy is used to confirm the presence of muscle
inflammation typical only of polymyositis. This is a surgical procedure
whereby muscle tissue is removed for analysis by a pathologist, a specialist
in examining tissue under a microscope. Muscles often used for biopsy
include the quadriceps muscle of the front of the thigh, the biceps muscle
of the arm, and the deltoid muscle of the shoulder.
Next: How is polymyositis treated? »
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