mucin clot test (Ropes test)

Indications

• evaluation of inflammatory arthritis

Principle

• addition of acetic acid to synovial fluid precipitates hyaluronate into a mucin clot, which is graded as good, fair or poor
• a fair to poor mucin clot results from dilution & depolymerization of hyaluronate, a non-specific finding associated with inflammatory arthritis
• it is generally normal in degenerative joint disease (i.e. osteoarthritis)

Notes

• the mucin clot test is largely of historical significance; it has little diagnostic value

More general terms

• synovial fluid analysis

Additional terms

• synovial fluid