Differential Diagnosis- Exploring Clinical Reasoning Algorithm-Based Approaches and Diagnostic Testing

There are several steps involved in the differential diagnosis. The first step is medical history taking. This will involve inquiring about the symptoms, duration of symptoms, family history, and travel history (Malterud et al., 2019). The next involves performing a physical examination. This involves measuring the heart’s rate and blood pressure. The third step is conducting diagnostic tests. These tests are done to rule out certain conditions (Malterud et al., 2019). They include blood tests, urinalysis, imaging tests such as x-rays, and ultrasound. The diagnostic tests will help to come up with a definitive diagnosis. The final step is treatment, referral, and follow-up.

There are several differential diagnosis methods. The first method is pattern recognition fit. In this method, signs and symptoms are compared to previous cases or patients, and a diagnosis is recognized when the actual pattern fits (Merinopoulos et al., 2019). This method relies on the memories of known patients, but some conditions may have similar patterns. The second method is probabilistic reasoning. This is a simple and probable use of signs, symptoms, and diagnostic tests to rule in a diagnosis (Carneiro, 2021). A disadvantage of this method is that it requires knowing the extent to which a negative or positive diagnostic test adjusts the probability of a specific condition. This method can result in physician errors. The final method is Murtagh’s process. This method depends on learning the most common cause of the chief complaint, and a series of serious diagnoses must be ruled out (Li et al., 2020).

References

Carneiro, A. V. (2021). Diagnosis is a probabilistic estimate of disease. A dynamic approach to diminish resource overuse. European Journal of Internal Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejim.2021.11.014

Li, X., Guo, H., Xu, N., & Li, J. (2020). Discussion on the general practice initial diagnosis model based on process thinking. Open Journal of Internal Medicine, 10(04), 342-349. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojim.2020.104036

Malterud, K., Reventlow, S., & Guassora, A. D. (2019). Diagnostic knowing in general practice: Interpretative action and reflexivity. Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care, 37(4), 393-401. https://doi.org/10.1080/02813432.2019.1663592

Merinopoulos, D., Saada, J., Jones, C., & Mukhtyar, C. (2019). Pattern recognition is a sequential process—accurate diagnosis and treatment 20 years after presentation. Oxford Medical Case Reports, 2019(7). https://doi.org/10.1093/omcr/