Index
- What is capillaroscopy?
- What does it consist of?
- Why is it performed?
- How to prepare for capillaroscopy
- What does the test feel like?
- What do abnormal results mean?
- Advances
What is capillaroscopy?
Capillaroscopy is a non-invasive technique to study the distal periungual capillaries to assess venous microcirculation pathologies.
The test studies in detail the superficial microcirculation of the fingers. It has no contraindications and can therefore be repeated as often as desired and thus observe the evolution of the patient.
What does it consist of?
Capillaroscopy is performed on the skin of the nail margin of the fingers of the hand, using an optical microscope with a magnification between 20 and 200 times. It can be performed on any finger of the hand, although the fourth and fifth fingers are usually used because their skin is more transparent. The observation is required with an adequate illumination of cold light and avoiding reflections, for which cedar oil can be used on the edge of the nail.
The rheumatologist specialist will perform the observation to know the size, morphology, distribution and number of capillaries.
Capillaroscopy requires specific equipment.
Why is it performed?
The observation of capillaries and microcirculation is performed in Rheumatology to diagnose vascular damage and the symptomatology of pathologies such as Raynaud’s disease, scleroderma and other systemic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjögren’s syndrome or dermatomyositis.
As it is a non-invasive technique, it can be performed periodically to assess the patient’s evolution.
Preparation for capillaroscopy
One of the main advantages of capillaroscopy is that it is completely harmless, so it does not require specific preparation by the patient.
What does the examination feel like?
Capillaroscopy is completely painless: the patient should only keep his hand as still as possible during the examination and follow the rheumatologist’s instructions.
Meaning of abnormal results
Depending on the appearance of the capillaries, a number of conclusions can be drawn:
- If the morphology of the capillaries shows a thickening of the capillaries or a very abrupt change in their shape, it may be an early sign of secondary Raynaud’s phenomenon, which is very common in patients with scleroderma, dermatomyositis and mixed connective tissue disease.
- On the other hand, if hemorrhages are observed in several fingers, vascular damage can be detected early. Low capillary density may also be a symptom of Raynaud’s phenomenon and possible scleroderma.
Advances
Initially capillaroscopy was performed using a stereomicroscope as a magnifying instrument for observation. In recent years, video capillaroscopy with an optical probe has appeared as an alternative, consisting of a fiber optic probe connected to a video terminal with cold light, which allows the examination to be observed on a screen, with the possibility of saving the video.