Types and tests for polymiositis?!
Question: Types and tests for polymiositis!?
Answers:
Polymyositis is the inflammation of multiple muscles!. In my experience there are very few tests which can show you as clearly which muscles are involved than a high field MRI study using some sort of fat saturation!. The other week we did a patient with long term polymyositis and many of her pelvic muscles showed up as edematous and inflammed!. Very few rheumatologists are aware how accurate and helpful an MRI study can be so!.!.!. just ask your doctor or rheumatologist if an MRI might help you!. I hope they answer yes! Because in one case of a patient with fibromyalgia (which also causes pelvic pain similar to polymyositis)- she had developed a change in her pain and needed to have MR imaging of her lumbar spine!. In her we found a plasmacytoma - which is a type of leukemia!. All of her other studies had not detected this!. So!.!.!.!. remember many illnesses have similar symtoms!. The way we can differentiate from one to the other is by excellent quality imaging!. Do not fall for bad quality slow and narrow OPEN low field MRI!. If you have to have an OPEN MRI then opt for high quality WIDE OPEN BORE MRI!. (1!.5T Siemens Espree)!. But 3T MRI is even better!. But honestly - ask your doctor if after good examination and laboratory studies if any imaging study can also help you!.!.!. hope this helps!Www@Answer-Health@Com