Early detection of autoimmune disease is critical to ensure that early treatment is administered to prevent the development of disabling conditions. Siemens is committed to providing clinicians with the tools needed for the diagnosis and monitoring of autoimmune disorders.
An autoimmune disorder is a condition that occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys healthy body tissue. There are more than 80 different types of autoimmune disorders.
Normally, the immune system's white blood cells help protect the body from harmful substances called antigens. Examples of antigens include bacteria, viruses, toxins, cancer cells, and blood or tissue from another person or species. The immune system produces antibodies that destroy these harmful substances.
In patients with an autoimmune disorder, the immune system can't tell the difference between healthy body tissue and antigens. The result is an immune response that destroys normal body tissue. This response is a hypersensitivity reaction similar to the response in allergic conditions. Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001819/
