"Medical diagnosis is the process of determining which disease or condition explains a person's symptoms and signs."
An overview of the laboratory tests, imaging studies, and other diagnostic tools used to diagnose and monitor rheumatologic diseases.
Introduction to Rheumatologic Diseases: A brief overview of the field of Rheumatology, including common conditions that rheumatologists diagnose and treat.
Diagnostic Tests: An overview of the various diagnostic tests available in Rheumatology, including blood tests, imaging, and biopsy.
Rheumatoid Arthritis: A detailed look at the most common type of rheumatologic disease, including how it is diagnosed and the role of imaging and biomarkers.
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A description of this autoimmune disease, including how it is diagnosed and the role of diagnostic tests like ANA and anti-dsDNA.
Spondyloarthritis: An overview of inflammatory spinal diseases, including ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis, and the role of imaging in their diagnosis and monitoring.
Gout: Diagnosis and treatment of gout, including the use of diagnostic tests like blood tests and joint aspiration.
Osteoarthritis: Diagnosis and treatment of osteoarthritis, including the use of diagnostic imaging like X-ray and MRI.
Connective Tissue Diseases: An overview of diseases like Sjogren's syndrome and polymyositis, including how they are diagnosed and the role of diagnostic tests.
Vasculitis: An overview of this group of diseases, including diagnosis and the role of diagnostic tests like biopsy and angiography.
Imaging Modalities: An in-depth look at the imaging modalities used in Rheumatology, including X-ray, ultrasound, MRI, and CT scan, and their indications in different rheumatologic conditions.
Biologic and Targeted Therapies: An overview of biologic and targeted therapies used in the treatment of rheumatologic diseases, including how they work and their side effects.
Role of Radiologist: The role of radiologists in the diagnosis and management of rheumatologic diseases.
Biomarkers: An overview of biomarkers used in the diagnosis and monitoring of rheumatologic diseases, including their limitations and future directions.
Cost-effectiveness of Diagnostic Tests and Imaging: An examination of the cost-effectiveness of different diagnostic tests and imaging modalities in rheumatologic diseases.
Multidisciplinary Approach: The importance of a multidisciplinary approach to the diagnosis, management, and monitoring of rheumatologic diseases, including the role of rheumatologists, radiologists, pathologists, and other healthcare providers.
Emerging Technology: An overview of emerging technologies in the field of Rheumatology, including molecular imaging and artificial intelligence.
X-rays: An imaging test that uses radiation to produce images of bones and joints.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): Uses a magnetic field and radio waves to produce detailed images of bones, soft tissues, and organs.
Computed Tomography (CT): Uses X-rays to create detailed images of bones, organs, and soft tissues.
Ultrasound: Uses high-frequency sound waves to produce images of soft tissues and organs.
Arthroscopy: A minimally invasive procedure in which a small camera is inserted into a joint to view its internal structures.
Blood tests: Used to measure levels of certain antibodies or markers that may indicate rheumatologic diseases.
Synovial fluid analysis: A test to analyze the fluid in joints for signs of inflammation or infection.
Bone density test: Used to detect osteoporosis, a common condition associated with rheumatologic diseases.
Electromyography (EMG): A test to evaluate nerve damage and muscle weakness.
Nuclear imaging: A specialized type of imaging that uses radioactive tracers to produce images of bones and joints.
"The information required for diagnosis is typically collected from a history and physical examination of the person seeking medical care."
"Often, one or more diagnostic procedures, such as medical tests, are also done during the process."
"Sometimes the posthumous diagnosis is considered a kind of medical diagnosis."
"Diagnosis is often challenging because many signs and symptoms are nonspecific."
"Thus, differential diagnosis, in which several possible explanations are compared and contrasted, must be performed."
"Occasionally, the process is made easy by a sign or symptom (or a group of several) that is pathognomonic."
"Diagnosis is a major component of the procedure of a doctor's visit."
"This involves the correlation of various pieces of information followed by the recognition and differentiation of patterns."
"Medical diagnosis (abbreviated Dx, Dx, or Ds)..."
"The information required for diagnosis is typically collected from a history and physical examination..."
"Often, one or more diagnostic procedures, such as medical tests, are also done during the process."
"Sometimes the posthumous diagnosis is considered a kind of medical diagnosis."
"Diagnosis is often challenging because many signs and symptoms are nonspecific."
"Thus, differential diagnosis... must be performed."
"Occasionally, the process is made easy by a sign or symptom (or a group of several) that is pathognomonic."
"Diagnosis is a major component of the procedure of a doctor's visit."
"This involves the correlation of various pieces of information..."
"From the point of view of statistics, the diagnostic procedure involves classification tests."
"Medical diagnosis (abbreviated Dx, Dx, or Ds)..."