Dahlbom K, et al. - Given that inclusion body myositis is characterized by inflammatory and degenerative changes, researchers intended to determine if there is an association between muscle strength, histopathology, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in sporadic inclusion body myositis. Muscle strength was correlated with inflammatory and degenerative findings on MRI and in muscle biopsies in three different muscles (tibialis anterior, vastus lateralis, and biceps brachii) in nineteen patients with inclusion body myositis. Findings revealed that the vastus lateralis was significantly more atrophic vs the other two muscles and also showed most edema. In most cases, biceps brachii had an intermediate degree of weakness and atrophy but the most pronounced inflammatory cell infiltration on biopsy. Inflammatory changes as evaluated by MRI and muscle biopsy were seen in all muscles regardless of atrophy and thus seem to be prevalent at all stages of the disease. The study was unable to an answer to the question which comes first, the inflammation or the degenerative changes.