Diagnosing Myasthenia Gravis at Stanford

Our Stanford neuromuscular doctors have decades of experience in diagnosing myasthenia gravis. Our extensive expertise helps us rule out other possible causes and arrive at the diagnosis quickly.

We use a variety of techniques to diagnose myasthenia gravis, including:

• Complete medical history and physical examination, including history of any other autoimmune diseases.
• Electrodiagnostic tests (EMG/NCS): Our neuromuscular neurologists assess muscle and nerve function using a machine that measures electrical signals in individual muscles and nerves. Learn more about electromyography. Particularly useful in myasthenia gravis is the use of single-fiber EMG, which may detect disease even when other tests are negative or inconclusive.
• Laboratory tests: Tests may be performed to look for antibodies in the blood that are associated with myasthenia gravis.
• Imaging studies: Testing may include CT scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the chest looking for tumors that are sometimes seen in patients with myasthenia gravis.

In the Neuromuscular Program, our doctors design and supervise all of functional testing. This helps us achieve reliable, accurate results.