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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staffTo diagnose Raynaud's, your doctor will ask detailed questions about your symptoms and medical history and conduct a physical examination. Your doctor may also run tests to rule out other medical problems that may cause similar signs and symptoms, such as a pinched nerve.
Your doctor may perform a simple test called a cold-stimulation test during your office visit. This test may involve placing your hands in cool water or exposing you to cold air, to trigger an episode of Raynaud's.
Sorting out primary vs. secondary Raynaud's
To distinguish between primary and secondary Raynaud's, your doctor may perform an in-office test called nail fold capillaroscopy. During the test, the doctor examines your nail fold — the skin at the base of your fingernail — under a microscope. Tiny blood vessels (capillaries) near the nail fold that are enlarged or deformed may indicate an underlying disease. However, some secondary diseases can't be detected by this test.
If your doctor suspects that another condition, such as an autoimmune or connective tissue disease, underlies Raynaud's, he or she may order blood tests, such as:
- Antinuclear antibodies test. A positive test for the presence of these antibodies — produced by your immune system — indicates a stimulated immune system and is common in people who have connective tissue diseases or other autoimmune disorders.
- Erythrocyte sedimentation rate. This blood test determines the rate at which red blood cells settle to the bottom of a tube in the space of an hour. A faster than normal rate may signal an underlying inflammatory or autoimmune disease. Autoimmune diseases are commonly associated with secondary Raynaud's.
There's no single blood test to diagnose Raynaud's. Your doctor may order other tests, such as those that rule out diseases of the arteries, to help pinpoint a disease or condition that may be associated with Raynaud's.
- Questions and answers about Raynaud's phenomenon. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Raynauds_Phenomenon/default.asp. Accessed Aug. 2, 2009.
- Raynaud's. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/raynaud/ray_what.html. Accessed Aug. 2, 2009.
- Smith EA, et al. Systemic sclerosis: Raynaud's phenomenon. In: Hochberg MC, et al. Rheumatology. 4th ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2008:1387.
- Wigley FM. Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of the Raynaud phenomenon. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 2, 2009.
- Wigley FM. Nonpharmacologic therapy for the Raynaud phenomenon. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 2, 2009.
- Wigley FM. Pharmacologic and surgical treatment of the Raynaud phenomenon. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 2, 2009.
- Patel PM. Raynaud's Phenomenon. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2009. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/152762796-4/0/1701/499.html?tocnode=56571810&fromURL=499.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-04134-8..50021-5--subchapter4_10581. Accessed Aug. 2, 2009.
