Sjogren's Syndrome.

Last updated Thursday, December 13, 2007

Diagnosis and evaluation

How is sjogren's syndrome diagnosed?

Your doctor may do several things to find out if you have Sjogren's syndrome. Some of the tests you may undergo include:

Physical examination

Your doctor will ask you to describe your symptoms, and will look for other symptoms, such as red, itchy eyes; swollen salivary glands; a dry, cracked tongue; and enlarged lymph glands in your neck.

Blood tests

Tests for specific blood markers can determine if you have Sjogren's syndrome. However, not everyone with Sjogren's has these markers.

What tests may be used to diagnose sjogren's syndrome?

Schirmer test

This helps determine how dry your eyes may be. It involves placing a small piece of filter paper under the lower eyelid to measure the amount of tears your eyes produce.

Slit-lamp examination

This is a more accurate way to find out if your eyes are dry. In this test, the doctor puts a drop of dye into your eye and examines the eye with a special instrument called a slit lamp. The dye will stain dry or eroded areas of the eye. This test is often done by an ophthalmologist (eye doctor}.

Lip biopsy

In this test, the doctor removes a few salivary glands from inside your lip. The tissue is examined under a microscope. The appearance of the tissue helps determine if you have Sjogren's syndrome.

Salivary function tests

These measure the actual amount of saliva you produce, to help determine if you have Sjogren's.

Urine tests

These may be done to test your kidney function.

Chest X-ray

This can help detect changes in your lungs.

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