The clinical laboratory evaluation of the patient with noninflammatory myopathy.

The investigations used to diagnose an inflammatory muscle disease include history and physical examination, evaluation of serum levels of enzymes derived from skeletal muscle, electromyography, magnetic resonance imaging, and muscle histology. The evaluation of patients who may have noninflammatory myopathy includes, but is not limited to, these methods. Additional tools that may be useful include measurements of additional biochemistries, the forearm ischemic exercise test, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and special tests on muscle tissue. Reports published in the past year have improved and expanded our understanding of the numerous noninflammatory myopathies and how these tools can be used more effectively.