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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staffIf your doctor suspects you have pityriasis rosea, he or she might:
- Inspect the spots
- Order blood tests
- Remove (biopsy) a small sample of skin tissue for examination to rule out other conditions
Often, the skin exam is all it takes to diagnose pityriasis rosea. In its early stage, however, pityriasis rosea can look like several other skin diseases, including ringworm, Lyme disease, psoriasis and secondary syphilis.
References
- Pityriasis rosea. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec10/ch116/ch116d.html. Accessed Feb. 12, 2010.
- Goldstein AO, et al. Pityriasis rosea. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 29, 2010.
- Drago F, et al. Pityriasis rosea: An update with a critical appraisal of its possible herpesviral etiology. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2009;61:303.
- Chuh AA, et al. Interventions for pityriasis rosea. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2007;2:CD005068.
- Blauvelt A. Pityriasis rosea. In: Wolff K, et al. Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine. 7th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2955172. Accessed Feb. 12, 2010.
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