title: Nailfold dermatoscopy in general practice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nailfold capillary examination can assist in distinguishing between primary Raynaud's phenomenon and secondary Raynaud's that is associated with a connective tissue disease. Dermatoscopy is a reliable technique in the evaluation of nailfold capillaries and assists in the diagnosis of connective tissue diseases such as scleroderma.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This article provides an overview of the usefulness of nailfold capillary dermatoscopy in rheumatic and non-rheumatic diseases, and includes the MDAD (morphology, diameter, architecture and density) approach to nailfold dermatoscopy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dermatoscopes are useful devices in examining nailfold capillaries. Many general practitioners are skilled in dermatoscopy and are well placed to examine nailfold capillaries. The MDAD approach to nailfold dermatoscopy considers capillary morphology, diameter, architecture and density. In Raynaud's phenomenon, nailfold dermatoscopy assists in the diagnosis of an underlying connective tissue disease.
authors.affiliation: MBBS, FRACGP, DipACSCM, General Practitioner, Dalyellup Family Medical Centre, and Clinical Senior Lecturer School of Primary, Aboriginal and Rural Health Care with the University of Western Australia, Dalyellup, WA.
authors.forename: Darryn
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rennie
mesh_terms: D002196:Capillaries / Q000473:pathology; D003240:Connective Tissue Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D046169:Dermoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D058006:General Practice / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009262:Nails / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology*; D011928:Raynaud Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*