Details of Myasthenia Gravis Diagnosis

myasthenic diagnosis In view of the many Myasthenia Gravis patients in United States, Canada, Australia, England, France and Japan, which must live for many years without names for their complaints, it did not operate perhaps, here one (very amateur) to provide overview of the different myasthenia gravis diagnostic methods. In front is referred to which reacts the mg also within the range of the diagnosis very differently, with each method can come it with Myasthenia Gravis patients (MG patients) to negative results! Myasthenia Gravis diagnosis such as :

Ice cube sample

This variant is less suitable for an exclusion myasthenia gravis diagnosis, but can give nevertheless certain notes for the further search – and above all it is suitable for “home use” ! It is occasionally used in ocular MG: the drooping eyelids are just chilled with an ice cube. Often, the eyelids may be subsequently opened significantly. Also known as “first aid” used in everyday life (when swallowing altered) with a cold drink.

Muscle retaining test

There are various muscle tests for myasthenia gravis diagnosis, with which the duration of the retaining forces is measured. Most frequently the following tests are used :
Simpson test: View upward for at least one minute, ptosis (hanging upper eyelids) can trigger or reinforce
Arm leg rate time: in standing the arms straight before the body are held stretched, , in the supine position with one leg in the 45o angle is increased. Measured is the holding time (the one with that of healthy individuals is compared).

With this myasthenia diagnosis method a nerve is electrically stimulated, and measured the reactions of the appropriate muscle following from it. Customarily are 5 to 10 consecutive current pulses -with MG patients the reaction curve falls clearly off (with the first impulse good reaction, with the further ever more weakly becoming). This method is applied to different muscles – ideally there, which already occur in everyday complaints.
Besides the “normal” EMG, there is the single fiber EMG, in which the reaction can be very targeted, individual muscle fibers are reviewed.

Tensilon test

With this tensilon test a fast effective medicine is squirted, which causes a completely clear improvement of the symptoms with mg within fewer minutes. The Tensilon test is partly used with the EMG combined.

Anti-body test

In the special laboratory, the blood is tested for specific antibodies against Acethylcholin receptors. Also, this test is negative in many MG, however, is currently a test on a further machine specific auto-antibodies in development.

Muscle biopsy

The changes in the receptors can be visualized in the laboratory.

Chest CT

The chest CT is not directly suitable for the myasthenia diagnosis of MG, but as with many MG the thymus is significantly increased and there are even some thymomas, this process is used to illuminate the upper body.