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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staffYour doctor may suspect mixed connective tissue disease based on your signs and symptoms. A physical exam may be conducted to look for signs such as swollen hands and painful, swollen joints.
A blood test can determine whether you have a certain antibody in your blood that indicates mixed connective tissue disease. The presence of this specific antibody — called U1-RNP — can confirm your doctor's suspicions.
Mixed connective tissue disease usually develops slowly, making it difficult to diagnose. As your signs and symptoms evolve — sometimes over many years — your diagnosis may change. Many people are first diagnosed with lupus and later re-diagnosed with mixed connective tissue disease. Others begin with a diagnosis of mixed connective tissue disease only to later find they have lupus or another connective tissue disorder.
