Muscle biopsy
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In [[medicine]], a '''muscle biopsy''' is a procedure in which a piece of [[muscle]] [[Biological tissue|tissue]] is removed from an [[organism]] and examined [[Microscopy|microscopically]]. A [[needle aspiration biopsy|biopsy needle]] is usually inserted into a muscle, wherein a small amount of tissue remains. Alternatively, an "open biopsy" can be performed by obtaining the muscle tissue through a small surgical incision. A muscle biopsy can lead to the discovery of problems with a [[nervous system]], [[connective tissue]], [[vascular system]], or [[musculoskeletal system]]. In humans with weakness and low muscle tone, a muscle biopsy can help distinguish between [[myopathies]] (where the pathology is in the muscle tissue itself) and [[neuropathies]] (where the pathology is at the nerves innervating those muscles). Muscle biopsies can also help to distinguish among various types of [[myopathies]], by microscopic analysis for differing characteristics when exposed to a variety of chemical reactions and stains.
However, in some cases the muscle biopsy alone is inadequate to distinguish between certain myopathies. For example, a muscle biopsy showing the nucleus pathologically located in the center of the muscle cell would indicate "[[Centronuclear myopathy (including myotubular myopathy)|centronuclear myopathy]]", but research has shown that a variety of [[myopathies]] can cause these centronuclear biopsy appearance, and hence the specific [[genetic testing]] becomes increasingly important. [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16042307&query_hl=10&itool=pubmed_docsum] [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16227997&query_hl=4&itool=pubmed_docsum]
Additionally muscle biopsy is the only certain way to clarify ones muscle fiber types. I.e. by undergoing a muscle biopsy one can get a clear picture of which type of muscles dominates his/hers body.
== See also ==
* [[Atrophy]]
* [[Necrosis]] (possibly of muscle fibers)
* [[Necrotizing vasculitis]]
* [[Muscular dystrophy]]
* [[Duchenne muscular dystrophy]]
* [[Becker's muscular dystrophy]]
* [[Centronuclear myopathy (including myotubular myopathy)|Myotubular myopathy]]
* [[Centronuclear myopathy (including myotubular myopathy)|Centronuclear myopathy]]
* [[Electromyogram]]
* [[Trichinosis]]
* [[Toxoplasmosis]]
* [[Myasthenia gravis]]
* [[Polymyositis]]
* [[Dermatomyositis]]
* [[Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis]]
* [[Friedreich's ataxia]]
[[Category:Medical tests]]
[[Category:Muscular system]]
[[nl:Spierbiopt]]
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