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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staffTests used to help make a diagnosis of gangrene include:
- Blood tests. An abnormally elevated white blood cell count often indicates the presence of an infection.
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Imaging tests. An X-ray, a computerized tomography (CT) scan or a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan can be used to view interior body structures and assess the extent to which gangrene has spread.
An arteriogram is an imaging test used to visualize your arteries. During this test, dye is injected into your bloodstream and X-ray pictures are taken to determine how well blood is flowing through your arteries. An arteriogram can help your doctor find out whether any of your arteries are blocked.
- Surgery. Surgery may be performed to determine the extent to which gangrene has spread within your body.
- Fluid or tissue culture. A culture of the fluid from a blister on your skin may be examined for the bacteria Clostridium perfringens, a common cause of gas gangrene, or your doctor may look at a tissue sample under a microscope for signs of cell death.
- Meislin HW, et al. Soft tissue infections. In: Marx JA, et al., eds. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 6th ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2006. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/141947879-3/849444931/1365/420.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-02845-4..50140-2_7293. Accessed June 4, 2009.
- Stevens DL. Necrotizing fasciitis, gas gangrene, myositis and myonecrosis. In: Cohen J, et al. Infectious Diseases. 2nd ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2004. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/141947879-5/849445124/1209/32.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-02407-6..50012-X_334. Accessed June 4, 2009.
- Stevens DL. Necrotizing infections of the skin and fascia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 4, 2009.
- Abrahamian FM, et al. Management of skin and soft-tissue infections in the emergency department. Infectious Disease Clinics of North America. 2008;22:89.
- May AK. Skin and soft tissue infections. Surgical Clinics of North America. 2009;89:403.
- Kaide CG. Hyperbaric oxygen: Applications in infectious disease. Emergency Medicine Clinics of North America. 2008;26:571.
- Neschis DG. Clinical manifestations and evaluation of chronic critical limb ischemia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 4, 2009.
- Sepsis and septic shock. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec06/ch068/ch068a.html. Accessed June 4, 2009.
- Anderson DJ, et al. Skin and soft tissue infections in older adults. Clinics in Geriatric Medicine. 2007;23:595.
- Sheps SG (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. June 6, 2009.
