Muscle Biopsy Testing - 7/9/2010

<p>For many years, muscle biopsy has been considered the "best" way to obtain an accurate diagnosis of mitochondrial disease.&nbsp; Muscle biopsy is costly, it is invasive, and is occasionally controversial with results that can be difficult for patients and families to understand.</p> <p>Will there ever be an alternative to muscle biopsy testing for children and adults with suspected mitochondrial disorders?&nbsp; When does someone need a muscle biopsy? Why (and when) is a muscle biopsy necessary?</p> <p><a href="http://www.virtualmdpractice.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dr. Fran Kendall from Virtual Medical Practice</a> in Atlanta, Georgia updates us on the latest approaches to testing for mitochondrial disease.</p> <ul class="list"> <li>Muscle biopsies - why are they done?</li> <li>How do muscle biopsies help with a diagnosis?</li> <li>Fresh vs. frozen - is one better?</li> <li>Cost factors for Mito muscle testing</li> <li>Emerging trends in enzymology: buccal swab studies</li> <li>The need to identify causative Mito genes.</li> </ul>