 Hi, I am Dr. Vijay Rao. I am a consultant working in the rheumatology department in Manipal Hospital's Bangalore. The diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis is commonly made by clinical history taken by a rheumatologist and examination along with blood tests such as inflammatory markers, ESR and CRP with antibodies in the blood called rheumatoid factor and anti-CCP. We put everything of this together and then make a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. There is no one magic test or there is always clinical examination and history along with blood tests is very much important.