Patch tests / Testes de contato

Patch tests were introduced as a diagnostic tool in the late nineteenth century. Since then, they have improved considerably becoming what they are today. Patch tests are used in the diagnostic investigation of contact dermatitis worldwide. Batteries or series previously studied and standardized should be used in patch testing. The methodology is simple, but it requires adequate training for the results to be correctly interpreted and used. Despite having been used for over a century, it needs improvement like all other diagnostic techniques in the medical field.

Os testes de contato foram introduzidos, como ferramenta diagnóstica, no final do século XIX. Desde então passaram por diversos aprimoramentos tornando-os o que são hoje. Eles são utilizados na investigação diagnóstica das dermatites de contato em diferentes partes do mundo. Devem ser aplicados com a utilização de baterias ou séries previamente estudadas e padronizadas. A metodologia é simples, mas requer treinamento adequado para sua interpretação e bom aproveitamento dos resultados obtidos. Apesar de ser utilizado há mais de um século, necessita de aprimoramentos como todas as outras técnicas utilizadas para investigação diagnóstica na área médica.

Patch tests.

Patch tests were introduced as a diagnostic tool in the late nineteenth century. Since then, they have improved considerably becoming what they are today. Patch tests are used in the diagnostic investigation of contact dermatitis worldwide. Batteries or series previously studied and standardized should be used in patch testing. The methodology is simple, but it requires adequate training for the results to be correctly interpreted and used. Despite having been used for over a century, it needs improvement like all other diagnostic techniques in the medical field.