Diagnosis is often made based on findings and examination of the affected joint. Sometimes your doctor may need to order some additional tests.
Blood Tests: The level of uric acid in the blood can be measured. A high level of uric acid in the blood supports the diagnosis of gout, but does not definitively confirm it. Not everyone with high uric acid levels develops gout. In addition, normal blood uric acid level during an acute attack does not mean that there is no gout. In some patients, urc acid levels may be found to be normal during an attack.
Joint X-Rays: If you have long-term and untreated gout, it is useful to see joint damage. However, X-rays are rarely helpful in confirming the diagnosis of Gout, because X-rays are usually normal in the early years of Gout.
Joint Fluid Analysis: It is the process of taking a fluid sample from the swollen joint with a needle and looking for uric acid crystals under the microscope. Although this procedure is useful in confirming the diagnosis, it may not always be practical. It can be difficult and uncomfortable for the patient to remove a small amount of fluid, especially in small joints such as the big toe. This method can be used more easily when there is a gout attack in other large joints (for example, the knee). It is also possible to take samples from Tophus with subcutaneous uric acid accumulation with a needle and examine them.
