How does the doctor test for MG?
A diagnosis can be confirmed in several ways, including the following: • Acetylcholine Receptor Antibody— a blood test for the abnormal antibodies can be performed to see if they are present. Acetylcholine Receptor Antibody testing- Approximately 85% of MG patients have this antibody and, when detected with an elevated concentration the AChR antibody test is strongly indicative of MG. • Anti-MuSK Antibody testing— a blood test for the remaining 15% of MG patients who have tested negative for the acetylcholine antibody. These patients have seronegative (SN) MG. About 40-70% of patients with SNMG test positive for the anti-MuSK antibody. The remaining patients have unidentified antibodies causing their MG. • OfficeTests—Sleep, Ice Pack and Edrophonium tests are examinations performed by specialists to evaluate an improvement in strength that may be consistent with MG. • Electromyography— (EMG) studies can provide support for the diagnosis of MG when characteristic patterns are present. R
