When is a biopsy necessary to diagnose relapsing polychondritis?

Since there are no specific lab tests for Relapsing Polychondritis, the diagnosis is based on clinical manifestations. Criteria proposed by McAdam et al. PMID 775252 require three or more of the following clinical features to confirm the diagnosis:

• Bilateral auricular chondritis
• Non-erosive, seronegative inflammatory polyarthritis
• Nasal chondritis
• Ocular inflammation
• Respiratory tract chondritis
• Audiovestibular damage

Imaging is often necessary to evaluate for organ involvement:

• CT and MR are us...