bone, joint, and muscle disorders
Systemic Sclerosis
Diagnosis of Systemic Sclerosis
Symptoms and a doctor's evaluation Testing for antibodies Established criteria A doctor suspects systemic sclerosis in people who have Raynaud syndrome, typical joint and skin changes, or gastrointestinal, lung, and heart problems that cannot be otherwise explained. A doctor diagnoses systemic sclerosis by the characteristic changes in the skin, the results of blood tests, and presence of damage to internal organs. The symptoms may overlap with those of several other disorders, but the whole pattern is usually distinctive. Laboratory tests alone cannot identify systemic sclerosis because test results, like the symptoms, vary greatly. However, antinuclear antibodies (ANA) are present in the blood of more than 90% of people with systemic sclerosis. An antibody to centromeres (part of a chromosome) is often present in people who have limited systemic sclerosis. Different antibodies, called anti-topoisomerase and RNA polymerase III, are often present in people who have diffuse systemic sclerosis. Thus, the diagnosis of systemic sclerosis is based on all of the information doctors gather, including symptoms, physical examination results, and all test results. To help make the diagnosis, doctors may also consult a set of established criteria: Skin thickening of the fingers of both hands Sores or scars on the fingertips Dilated blood vessels (telangiectasia) Abnormal nail fold capillaries (blood vessels) Pulmonary hypertension, interstitial lung disease, or both Raynaud syndrome Antibody to centromeres, anti-topoisomerase, or RNA polymerase III Doctors may do Pulmonary Function Testing (PFT) , 