What Is Lupus?
8. Diagnosis
There are no specific blood tests or imaging that can diagnose lupus. Most cases are diagnosed clinically depending on the signs and symptoms of the patient. The approach is to exclude the other causes that may have similar symptoms.
In this respect, tests performed include complete blood count, CBC in short, which determine the amounts of platelets, white blood cells, and red blood cells in the patient’s blood. Other tests such as Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate, also known as ESR, ANA, and protein levels may also be done. Chest x-ray and echocardiograms may also be needed to determine the extent of the disease on the heart and chest. Tissue biopsies including kidney biopsy are important to determine the severity of tissue damage.
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