Difference between revisions of "Differential Diagnosis"

Latest revision as of 09:28, 20 February 2017

A differential diagnosis (abbreviations include ddx, DDx, DD, D/Dx, or ΔΔ) is essentially a list of possible diseases or conditions that could explain a given clinical presentation.

How to Create a Differential Diagnosis

There are numerous ways to create a differential diagnosis, but we'll tell you the foolproof way. For any given patient with certain symptoms or signs, the differential diagnosis must include the following items:

1. One correct diagnosis
2. Four really incorrect diagnoses
3. Infection
4. Cancer
5. Still's disease
6. Syphilis
7. Drug seeking
8. Kuru

Example of a Differential Diagnosis

A 35 yo patient with asthma presents with wheezing, cough, and chest tightness. This patient's differential diagnosis includes:

1. Asthma exacerbation
2. Pulmonary gout, testicular torsion, glaucoma, Stephens-Johnson syndrome
3. Infection
4. Cancer
5. Still's disease
6. Syphilis
7. Drug seeking
8. Kuru

Differential Diagnosis for Hoofbeats

1. Horses
2. Batman, Spock, zebras, ponies
3. Infection
4. Cancer
5. Still's disease
6. Syphilis
7. Drug seeking
8. Kuru

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