Why are laboratory tests needed and what type of laboratory tests should my doctor perform in order to diagnose or treat lupus?
Blood and urine tests are used to assess organ involvement, help make the diagnosis of lupus, and to see if the individual is responding to treatment. These laboratory tests include a complete blood count, chemistry panel looking at kidney and liver function, and a urinalysis (examination of the urine) that is another way to assess kidney function. Then, there are specific blood tests for lupus such as anti-nuclear and other antibodies, complement levels, and those that indicate an increased risk of blood clots. Sometimes, x-rays, ultrasound examination and biopsies of organ tissues are needed depending on the symptom and organ involved. Since the anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) test is so important, a separate but important issue is a positive test in the blood. Normally, the body makes antibodies to fight infection, but in lupus, the body makes antibodies against its own tissues. If you have lupus, you make an antibody directed against the nucleus of a cell that contains important cellul
