The Kveim test is a medical procedure used to diagnose sarcoidosis. It is pronounced /kvaɪm/ and spelled with a combination of letters that are not commonly seen together in English. The "kv" sound is found in some Scandinavian languages, and the "ei" sound is sometimes used to represent the "a" sound in other languages such as German or Dutch. The spelling of the word is based on the name of the Norwegian pathologist, Morten Ansgar Kveim, who developed the test in the 1940s.
The Kveim test is a medical diagnostic procedure used to aid in the diagnosis of certain diseases, specifically sarcoidosis. It involves the injection of a sterile suspension derived from sarcoidosis patients' spleen tissue into a person's skin using a small needle. The purpose of the test is to determine whether the patient's immune system exhibits a specific reaction to the injected substance, thus indicating the presence of sarcoidosis.
The test is named after Morten A. Kveim, a Norwegian pathologist who developed it in the 1940s. The injected suspension contains various substances that may incite an immune reaction in individuals with sarcoidosis. After the injection, the site of the injection is carefully monitored for the development of a specific response, known as a Kveim reaction. This reaction typically appears as a red, raised nodule at the injection site within a few weeks.
The Kveim test was historically used as a primary diagnostic tool for sarcoidosis, but its usage has decreased over time due to the availability of more accurate alternatives, such as imaging techniques and biopsy. While the test can provide supportive evidence for sarcoidosis, it is not considered definitive, as false-positive and false-negative results have been reported.
Overall, the Kveim test is a diagnostic procedure that involves the injection of a sarcoidosis-derived substance into a patient's skin to assess their immune reaction. Although it played a crucial role in diagnosing sarcoidosis in the past, its utilization has diminished due to advances in medical technology.
The term "Kveim Test" is named after Morten Ansgar Kveim, a Norwegian physician who first described this diagnostic test in the 1940s. The test is used to aid in the diagnosis of sarcoidosis, an inflammatory disease that affects various organs in the body. Although the term "Kveim Test" specifically refers to this diagnostic procedure, it is often stated without attributing to Dr. Kveim.