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MyHealth for Mobile
Gout Diagnosis
How is gout diagnosed?
To diagnose gout, your doctor may do:
- A joint fluid analysis to look for uric acid crystals. This is the only certain way to diagnose gout.
- A medical history and physical exam.
- A test to measure levels of uric acid in blood.
- A test to measure levels of uric acid in urine.
- Imaging tests, like ultrasound and computed tomography.
While X-rays of feet and hands are sometimes useful in the late stages of gout, X-rays aren't usually helpful in the early diagnosis. Pain often causes people to seek medical care before any long-term changes can be seen on an X-ray. But X-rays may help to rule out other causes of arthritis.