Is capillaroscopy painful?
My hands are very blue. The GP referred me to a rheumatologist who recommended capillaroscopy. What is this test and is it painful? ~ concerned
Capillaroscopy is a completely painless test used in the initial diagnosis of connective tissue diseases. It consists in magnifying the blood vessels on the border of the skin of the fingers and nails. Immersion oil is put on the examined area and viewed under a microscope. The background color, number and shape of blood vessels and their size are taken into account when evaluating the test. Vasodilation and the presence of vascular loops raise the suspicion of a connective tissue disease and constitute an indication for in-depth rheumatological diagnostics. It is especially useful when suspecting early forms of systemic sclerosis, where the results of additional tests do not fully allow for diagnosis and treatment.
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