title: Approach to the patient with suspected vasculitis.
abstract: By taking a careful patient history, conducting a thorough physical examination, knowing the clinical features of vasculitis, and using selected laboratory tests, the physician can diagnosis vasculitis tentatively. Recognizing the pattern of organ involvement provides a clue to the type of vasculitis present. Serologic laboratory tests for ANCAs or hepatitis B or C may help confirm the presence of the underlying vasculitis, and a definitive diagnosis can be confirmed by a biopsy of involved tissue or by angiography.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Conn
mesh_terms: D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D006801:Humans; D008487:Medical History Taking; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology