Spondyloarthritis

Psoriatic Arthritis

Signs and Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment

Diagnosis

Your doctor will begin by recording your complete medical history and asking you to describe your symptoms. Then you will undergo a physical examination, during which your doctor will look for any physical signs of the disease. The following tests also may be recommended to help make a definite diagnosis:

• Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate -- This is a common blood test that is used to detect and monitor inflammation in the body.

• Rheumatoid Factor -- This blood test detects an antibody that is present in the blood of most patients with rheumatoid arthritis. It is conducted to exclude rheumatoid arthritis.

• Arthrocentesis -- This is an office procedure during which a sterile needle is used to withdraw fluid from the inflamed joints. The fluid is then analyzed for infection, gout crystals and other inflammatory conditions.

• X-rays -- These may show characteristic changes associated with arthritis in the spine, sacrum, and joints of the extremities.

Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Medical Center.
Last updated May 8, 2007