Psoriatic Arthritis Diagnosis

In order to diagnose^[19] psoriatic arthritis, your healthcare provider will likely begin by consulting your personal and family medical histories. They will also assess your condition with a physical exam and review your signs and symptoms. Generally, the following may be used to diagnose psoriatic arthritis:

• Physical exam: Your provider will begin by examining your joints for signs of swelling, warmth, and tenderness to the touch. They will also check your fingernails for pitting, flaking, and any other abnormalities. They may press on the soles of your feet and heels in order to locate any tender areas.
• Imaging tests: X-rays imaging may capture the changes that have occurred in your joint(s) as a result of psoriatic arthritis. An MRI may also be helpful to provide a more detailed image of the hard and soft tissues within your body.
• Lab tests: Rheumatoid factor is an antibody that is present in the blood of people with rheumatoid arthritis. Because this antibody is not usually found in the blood of people with psoriatic arthritis, a blood test can help rule out the possibility of rheumatoid arthritis as the cause of your symptoms.
• Joint fluid tests: These tests are commonly used to rule out other conditions that may cause symptoms similar to those of psoriatic arthritis. They involve using a needle to remove a small sample of fluid from the affected joint (called synovial fluid). A high volume of uric acid crystals in your synovial fluid may indicate gout, as opposed to psoriatic arthritis.

Some tests focus on assessing the changes that have occurred in your body structures and tissues, while others are used to rule out other possible causes of your signs and symptoms. After determining the proper diagnosis, a specialist or healthcare provider will be able to provide or recommend effective treatments for your condition.