How is Lupus Diagnosed?

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How is lupus diagnosed?

Frequently Asked Questions About Lupus

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Information and referral guide, Lupus Foundation of America, Inc.

A doctor who is considering the possibility of lupus will look for signs of inflammation. The signs of inflammation are pain, heat, redness, swelling, and loss of function at a particular place in the body. Inflammation can occur on the inside of your body (your kidneys or heart, for example), on the outside (your skin), or both.

However, there are many challenges in confirming that a person has lupus and not some other disease. Lupus is known as “the great imitator,” because its symptoms mimic many other illnesses. Also, lupus symptoms can be unclear, can come and go, and can change. Therefore, a lupus diagnosis is made by a careful review of: your current symptoms your laboratory test results your medical history the medical history of your close family members such as grandparents, parents, brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

All of this information may be necessary for a doctor to make a diagnosis of lupus because, for a number of reasons, laboratory tests alone cannot give a definite “yes” or “no” answer.

No single laboratory test can determine whether a person has lupus. Test results that suggest lupus can be due to other illnesses, or can even be seen in healthy people. A test result may be positive one time and negative another time.

Lupus can be hard to diagnose. There is no definitive test for lupus, and the broad range of symptoms can mimic other common diseases. The American College of Rheumatology provides guidelines for doctors in the diagnosis of lupus, including signs and symptoms. If your doctor finds that you have signs and symptoms of lupus, and can find no other reason for these, he/she may suspect lupus.

If lupus is suspected, you will need a series of blood tests to confirm the diagnosis. The most important blood test measures antinuclear antibodies (ANA) in the blood. If you have a positive ANA, you will likely undergo further testing to confirm, or rule-out lupus. These further tests include screenings for the presence of certain antibodies and proteins in the blood.

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