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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staffTests used to help make a diagnosis of gangrene include:
- Blood tests. An abnormally elevated white blood cell count often indicates the presence of an infection.
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Imaging tests. An X-ray, a computerized tomography (CT) scan or a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan can be used to view interior body structures and assess the extent to which gangrene has spread.
An arteriogram is an imaging test used to visualize your arteries. During this test, dye is injected into your bloodstream and X-ray pictures are taken to determine how well blood is flowing through your arteries. An arteriogram can help your doctor find out whether any of your arteries are blocked.
- Surgery. Surgery may be performed to determine the extent to which gangrene has spread within your body.
- Fluid or tissue culture. A culture of the fluid from a blister on your skin may be examined for the bacterium Clostridium perfringens, a common cause of gas gangrene, or your doctor may look at a tissue sample under a microscope for signs of cell death.
References
- Neschis DG, et al. Clinical manifestations and evaluation of chronic critical limb ischemia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index/html. Accessed May 16, 2011.
- Park H, et al. Complex wounds and their management. Surgical Clinics of North America. 2010;90:1181.
- Helviz Y, et al. Bad to worse. The American Journal of Medicine. 2011;124:215.
- Sepsis and septic shock. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec06/ch068/ch068a.html. Accessed May 15, 2011.
- Stevens DL, et al. Clostridial myonecrosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 16, 2011.
- Gas gangrene. American Academy of Pediatrics. http://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/skin/pages/Gas-Gangrene.aspx. Accessed May 16, 2011.
- Mechem C, et al. Frostbite. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index/html. Accessed May 15, 2011.
- Stevens DL. Necrotizing infections of the skin and fascia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index/html. Accessed May 16, 2011.
- Intestinal obstruction. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/print/sec02/ch011/ch011h.html. Accessed May 26, 2011.
- Mandell JE, et al. Necrotizing fasciitis, Fournier's gangrene In: Mandell JE, et al. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?sid=1163686964&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..00043-6--s0035&isbn=978-0-443-06839-3&uniqId=251414141-4. Accessed May 23, 2011.
- Mechem C, et al. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index/html. Accessed May 20, 2011.
- Fujiwara Y, et al. Beneficial effects of foot care nursing for people with diabetes mellitus: An uncontrolled before and after intervention study. Journal of Advanced Nursing. In press. Accessed May 26, 2011.
- Saavedra A, et al. Soft-tissue infections: Erysipelas, cellulitis, gangrenous cellulitis, and myonecrosis. In: Wolff K, et al. Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine. 7th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2995017&searchStr=gangrene#2995017. Accessed May 27, 2011.
- Coumadin (prescribing information). New York, N.Y.: Bristol-Myers Squibb; 2005. http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2005/009218s101lbl.pdf. Accessed May 31, 2011.
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