title: Muscle biopsy evaluation in neuromuscular disorders.
abstract: This article reviews the indications for a muscle biopsy, and then gives a step-by-step description of the processes of muscle selection through to interpreting the biopsy report. The article aims to aid the clinician in preparing for a muscle biopsy procedure to avoid common pitfalls and obtain optimal results from this minimally invasive procedure. The basic anatomic structure of normal muscle is reviewed to provide a foundation for understanding common patterns of pathologic change observed in muscle disease and common and disease-specific histopathologic findings are presented, focusing on a select group of neuromuscular diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of California Davis School of Medicine, 4860 Y Street, Suite 3850, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA. Nanette.joyce@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu
authors.forename: Nanette C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Joyce
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Oskarsson
authors.forename: Lee-Way
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Jin
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000473:pathology*; D009468:Neuromuscular Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D013048:Specimen Handling