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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staffTo diagnose vasculitis, your doctor will ask about your symptoms and past medical history and conduct a thorough physical exam. Tests and procedures used to diagnose vasculitis include:
- Blood tests. Blood tests used to help diagnose vasculitis include erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein test, complete blood cell count and anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies test.
- Urine tests. Testing samples of your urine may reveal abnormalities, such as red blood cells and increased amounts of protein, that often indicate a medical problem. If vasculitis has caused kidney problems, your prognosis tends to be poorer.
- Imaging tests. Your doctor may be able to determine whether larger arteries, such as the aorta and its branches, are affected through the use of noninvasive imaging techniques. These include X-ray, ultrasound, computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
- X-rays of your blood vessels (angiogram). During an angiogram, a flexible catheter, resembling a thin straw, is inserted into a large artery or vein. A special dye (contrast medium) is then injected into the catheter, and X-rays are taken as the dye fills these arteries or veins. The outlines of your blood vessels are visible on the resulting X-rays.
- Removing a piece of the affected blood vessel for testing (biopsy). A surgical procedure to remove a small sample (biopsy) of the affected blood vessel allows your doctor to examine the vessel for signs of vasculitis.
References
- What is vasculitis? National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/vas/vas_all.html. Accessed Aug. 26, 2009.
- Khasnis A, et al. Update on vasculitis. Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology. 2009;123:1226.
- Stone JH. The classification and epidemiology of systemic vasculitis. In: Firestein GS, et al. Kelley's Textbook of Rheumatology. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/156758625-2/0/1807/0.html. Accessed Aug. 26, 2009.
- Vasculitis. American College of Rheumatology. http://www.rheumatology.org/public/factsheets/diseases_and_conditions/vasculitis.asp. Accessed Aug. 26, 2009.
- Questions to ask your doctor. Vasculitis Foundation. http://www.vasculitisfoundation.org/vasculitisquestionstoaskyourdoctor. Accessed Aug. 26, 2009.
- Chang-Miller A (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale/Phoenix, Ariz. Sept. 2, 2009.
- Lee RW, et al. Novel therapies for anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis. Drugs. 2008;68:747.
- Search of mycophenolate and vasculitis. ClinicalTrials.gov. http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?term=mycophenolate+and+vasculitis. Accessed Sept. 4, 2009.
