Conditions & Diseases: Bones, Muscles & Joints

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

See Also:
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Introduction & Overview
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Types, Causes & Risk Factors
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Signs & Symptoms
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Medical Tests & Diagnosis
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Treatment Options

Medical Tests & Diagnosis Methods/Tools

There is no test to diagnose Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). No change in the human body can be detected except for a few small changes in functioning of brain that can only be known through very specialized and expensive brain scans. CFS is a disease of exclusion, which means ruling out all other conditions and illnesses that may cause symptoms of CFS. The possible differential diagnoses include:

1. Adrenal insufficiency
2. Malignancy
3. Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)
4. Liver Disease
5. Renal Disease

Laboratory Studies:

1. Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR): A consistent extremely low ESR (typically 0-3 mm/h) indicates CFS in a patient.

2. Thyroid, Adrenal and liver function tests: These tests help in excluding disorders that may consist of a fatigue component.

3. White Blood Cells (WBC) Count: The WBC count in CFS patients is normal. An abnormal WBC count indicates a diagnosis other than CFS.

4. Serum Protein Electrophoresis is normal in people suffering from CFS and can be used to rule out other diseases that cause fatigue such as lymphoma and myeloma.

Imaging Studies: None of the imaging studies such as Computerized Tomography (CT) Scan of brain and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of brain show normal results for patients suffering from CFS (7).

See Also:
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Introduction & Overview
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Types, Causes & Risk Factors
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Signs & Symptoms
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Medical Tests & Diagnosis
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Treatment Options

Article by Kona Vishnu, MS
Medical Writer,
OmniMedicalSearch.com