Rheumatology Department, Queen Mary's Sidcup
Pre-appointment tests
In many cases, tests are not particularly helpful! The table below indicates what we would like for certain diagnoses and what are not immediately necessary. If a test such as an X-ray has been done we would of course like to know the result (and where it was done)
Diagnosis |
Tests desired |
Tests not required |
| Inflammatory arthritis | Full blood count, ESR, liver function | Autoantibodies, X-rays |
| Polymyalgia rheumatica / giant cell arteritis | Full blood count, ESR, creatine kinase | |
| Lupus (SLE) | Full blood count, ESR, U&E, DNA binding | |
| Osteoarthritis | None | |
| Crystal synovitis | Full blood count, ESR | Urate (see acute hot joint protocol) |
| Neck pain/cervicalgia | X-ray | |
| Back pain | Clinical exam. only (see referral form) | X-ray (except when infection/malignancy suspected) |
| Shoulder pain | None | X-ray |
| Soft tissue lesions | X-ray | |
| Osteoporosis | See osteporosis protocol | X-ray |
| Metabolic bone disease | Calcium, phosphate (fasting) | |
| Juvenile arthritis | Full blood count, ESR, antinuclear antibody | X-ray |
A Meissen porcelain figure depicting the gout