Scarlet fever is diagnosed on the basis of history, physical examination, and laboratory diagnostics.
Optional medical device diagnostics -depending on the results of the history, physical examination, laboratory diagnostics, and obligatory medical device diagnostics– for differential diagnosis or to exclude complications.
- Abdominal ultrasonography (ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs; in this case, the kidneys) – if glomerulonephritis (inflammation of the renal corpuscles) is suspected.
- Electrocardiogram (ECG; recording of the electrical activity of the heart muscle) – if rheumatic fever is suspected.
- Echocardiography (echo; heart ultrasound) – if rheumatic fever is suspected.
- X-ray of the thorax (X-ray thorax / chest), in two planes – if rheumatic fever is suspected with endocarditis evidence (endocarditis).
- X-rays of the affected joints – if rheumatic fever is suspected.
- Magnetic resonance imaging of the skull (cranial MRI, cranial MRI or cMRI) – if chorea minor (Veit’s dance) is suspected.