In laboratory settings, ELISA and immunodiffusion assays are most commonly used to detect levels of Anti-Ro/SSA antibodies in patient sera.
Antibodies specific to Ro52 are difficult to detect via laboratory testing. Their low detectability may be attributed to several factors: the antibodies are precipitin negative, lack antinuclear antibody (ANA) specific fluorescence staining patterns, and have a low signature in ELISA assays. Furthermore, Ro52 can be masked by Anti-Ro60 antibodies in lab tests that simultaneously assess the two antibodies.