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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staffYour dermatologist can usually diagnose Sweet's syndrome simply by looking at the lesions. But you're likely to have certain tests to rule out conditions that have similar symptoms and to search for the underlying cause. These tests include:
- Blood tests. A sample of your blood may be sent to a laboratory where it's checked for an unusually large number of white blood cells and certain blood disorders.
- Skin biopsy. Your doctor may remove a small piece of affected tissue for examination under a microscope. The tissue is analyzed to determine whether it has the characteristic abnormalities of Sweet's syndrome.
References
- Goldsmith LA, et al., eds. Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine. 8th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2012. http://www.accessmedicine.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=740. Accessed Oct. 15, 2012.
- Moschella SL. Neutrophilic dermatoses. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Oct. 15, 2012.
- Habif TP. Clinical Dermatology: A Color Guide to Diagnosis and Therapy. 5th ed. Edinburgh, U.K.; New York, N.Y.: Mosby Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?about=true&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..X0001-6--TOP&isbn=978-0-7234-3541-9&uniqId=230100505-57. Accessed Oct. 15, 2012.
- Saag KG, et al. Major side effects of systemic glucocorticoids. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Oct. 15, 2012.
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