Thermoregulatory Sweat Test (TST)
A thermoregulatory sweat test (TST) measures your ability to sweat in a special laboratory that has controlled temperature, humidity, and air flow regulation capabilities. TST is an important test for diagnosing certain autonomic and neurological disorders that result in abnormal body temperature regulation and sweat production.
Our Autonomic Laboratory is the only lab on the West Coast with a first-of-its-kind, custom-built TST room. If you sweat abnormally, a TST, along with other tests, can identify whether the dysfunction is in your peripheral or central nervous system and how severe it is. This information helps your doctor make a diagnosis and determine treatment options.
TST can be helpful in diagnosing conditions such as:
- Autonomic neuropathy
- Small fiber neuropathy
- Multiple system atrophy
- Pure autonomic failure
- Primary disorders of sweat production
- Autonomic impairment in other neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson’s disease
TST room
Our TST room is designed like a sauna and features a dressing area and shower suite for your convenience. During the test, you lie on a bed and are powdered with a substance that changes color from yellow to bright purple as you sweat.
The heat and humidity controls in the room help you produce sweat in all skin regions that are capable of sweating. A video camera allows your doctor to immediately and quantitatively analyze how your autonomic system reacts to the room’s conditions.
