Laboratory Tests – Antinuclear Antibody Test (ANA)

Several laboratory tests are needed to help the doctor in making a diagnosis. The most useful of these tests are those that identify specific autoantibodies which is present in the blood of lupus patients. The antinuclear antibody (ANA) test is used to search for the autoantibodies that react against the components of the nucleus of the body’s cells. Although most people with lupus test positive for ANA, there are other causes of a positive ANA besides lupus, including infections and other autoimmune diseases.