Duke Docs say: Don't ignore microvasculature in evaluating muscle biopsies

Dr. Anne Buckley

Drs. Anne Buckley and Edward Bossen of Duke University have a nice review article in the current issue of Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology entitled Skeletal Muscle Microvasculature in the Diagnosis of Neuromuscular Disease. Buckley and Bossen bring attention to the often overlooked blood vessels in skeletal muscle biopsies. They state that "there are many vascular features in skeletal muscle biopsies that, when interpreted in the context of other histologic patterns and clinical history, provide useful information that allows muscle pathologists to narrow their differential diagnoses and provide more accurate guidance to treating physicians." In addition to discussing normal and abnormal muscle vascular histology, the authors discuss the vascular effects of factors common to many patients undergoing muscle biopsy, such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and aging.

Capillary loss (B) and gain (D) in different myopathic processes (DM=dermatomyositis)