Myasthenia Gravis - Diagnosis (MG)

Table of Contents Introduction Symptoms Diagnosis of Myasthenia Gravis Treatment

There are several tests that we use to make the diagnosis of Myasthenia Gravis.  Blood tests are sent to look for different antibodies in the body that are responsible for attacking the muscle nerve junction. We also do a nerve test called repetitive nerve stimulation. In this test the muscle is repeatedly stimulated to see if the muscle fatigues.  If the patient has Myasthenia Gravis, then the force of muscle contraction decreases with repeated stimulation. Single muscle fiber testing could be performed in which recordings are used to measure muscle activity.   Another method that is used is called the Tensilon test, where a short acting medication that is used to treat Myasthenia Gravis is injected into the patient’s vein, and the patient is watched for signs of improvement.