Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 14, 2026

Preparation and Respirometric Assessment of Mitochondria Isolated from Skeletal Muscle Tissue Obtained by Percutaneous Needle Biopsy
Published on: February 7, 2015
Percutaneous needle muscle biopsy in the evaluation of patients with suspected inflammatory myopathy
J V Campellone1, D Lacomis, M J Giuliani
1University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pennsylvania, USA.
Objective:
To determine the usefulness of a unique method of percutaneous needle muscle biopsy (NMB) in patients with suspected idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM).
Methods:
The yield of percutaneous NMB was studied in 55 patients who were found to have a combination of clinical, laboratory, or electromyographic features of IIM.
Results:
A diagnosis of IIM was confirmed histopathologically in 29 patients (53%), other specific myopathies were found in 5 (9%), nonspecific myopathic changes were present in 11 (20%), and a neurogenic process was diagnosed in 3 (5%). Nonspecific changes or no abnormalities were present in 7 patients (13%). Followup of the 18 patients with nonspecific histopathologic findings disclosed that only 3 had a subsequent disease course compatible with IIM.
Conclusion:
Percutaneous NMB is a safe, convenient, and relatively inexpensive method of muscle biopsy, with a high diagnostic yield for the pathologic confirmation of IIM. It should be considered as a primary method of acquiring muscle for histopathologic examination in the evaluation of suspected IIM.
Related Concept Videos
Myasthenia Gravis: Diagnostic Tests
The edrophonium test is a diagnostic tool for myasthenia gravis. It involves...
Myocarditis II: Clinical Features and Diagnostic Tests

