Lactate peak in muscle disclosed by magnetic resonance spectroscopy in a patient with CPEO-plus syndrome

A 25-year-old man complained of progressive diplopia and limb weakness for 3 years. Mitochondrial myopathy was suspected according to clinical presentation, elevated serum lactate concentration, and muscle histopathology. However, next-generation mtDNA sequencing (mtDNA NGS) of the blood only revealed a likely benign variant in the MT-CO1 gene (m.6510G > A). An mtDNA NGS study on the muscle sample revealed a large mtDNA deletion (m.5788–m.16071). The patient was diagnosed as having CPEO-plus syndrome related to the large mtDNA deletion. Notably, magnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed a doublet peak at 1–2 ppm in his edematous right vastus lateralis, which indicated lactate accumulation. Thus, muscle imaging and appropriate genetic tests facilitated the diagnosis of mitochondrial myopathy.