Diagnostic study of choice
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Yazan Daaboul, M.D.
Introduction to the Diagnostic Criteria Page
- The page name should be "(Disease name) diagnostic criteria", with only the first letter of the title capitalized. Note that the page is called "diagnostic criteria" (not diagnosis criteria).
- Goal: To describe the most commonly utilized diagnostic criteria for a disease. Remember that diagnostic criteria may be clinical findings, physical exam signs, pathological findings, lab findings, findings on imaging, or even findings that exclude other diseases.
- As with all microchapter pages linking to the main page, at the top of the edit box put {{CMG}}, your name template, and the microchapter navigation template you created at the beginning.
- Remember to create links within Wikidoc by placing [[square brackets]] around key words which you want to link to other pages. Make sure you makes your links as specific as possible. For example if a sentence contained the phrase anterior spinal artery syndrome, the link should be to anterior spinal artery syndrome not anterior or artery or syndrome. For more information on how to create links click here.
- Remember to follow the same format and capitalization of letters as outlined in the template below.
- You should include the name of the disease in the first sentence of every subsection.
Overview
- The overview section should include the disease name in the first sentence.
- The goal is to summarize the diagnostic criteria page in several sentences.
- To see an example (diagnostic criteria of Peutz-Jeghers syndrome), click here.
Template
- First Sentences:
- The diagnosis of [disease name] is made when at least [number] of the following [number] diagnostic criteria is/are met: [criterion 1], [criterion 2], [criterion 3], and [criterion 4].
- OR
- The diagnosis of [disease name] is based on the [criteria name] criteria, which include [criterion 1], [criterion 2], and [criterion 3].
- OR
- The diagnosis of [disease name] is based on the [definition name] definition, which includes [criterion 1], [criterion 2], and [criterion 3].
- OR
- There are no criteria for the diagnosis of [disease name].
- Examples:
- Example 1: The diagnosis of Peutz-Jeghers syndrome is made when at least 2 of the following 3 diagnostic criteria are met: positive family history, mucocutaneous pigmentation, and presence of hamartomatous polyps.
- Example 2: The diagnosis of endocarditis is based on the modified Duke criteria, which include a combination of pathologic and clinical criteria.
- Example 3: The diagnosis of myocardial infarction is based on the third universal definition of myocardial infarction, which includes a rise and/or fall of cardiac biomarker (preferably cardiac troponin) at least once above the 99th percentile upper limit or normal with at least one of the following: either 1- symptoms of ischemia, 2- significant ST-segment changes / new LBBB on ECG, 3- development of pathological Q-waves on ECG, 4- evidence of new loss of viable myocardium on imaging, or 5- identification of intracoronary thrombus on angiography or autopsy.
- Example 4: There are no criteria for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis.
Diagnostic Criteria
- Here you should describe the details of the diagnostic criteria.
- Always mention the name of the criteria/definition you are about to list (e.g. modified Duke criteria for diagnosis of endocarditis / 3rd universal definition of MI) and cite the primary source of where this criteria/definition is found.
- Although not necessary, it is recommended that you include the criteria in a table. Make sure you always cite the source of the content and whether the table has been adapted from another source.
- Be very clear as to the number of criteria (or threshold) that needs to be met out of the total number of criteria.
- Distinguish criteria based on their nature (e.g. clinical criteria / pathological criteria/ imaging criteria) before discussing them in details.
- To view an example (endocarditis diagnostic criteria), click here
- If relevant, add additional information that might help the reader distinguish various criteria or the evolution of criteria (e.g. original criteria vs. modified criteria).
- You may also add information about the sensitivity and specificity of the criteria, the pre-test probability, and other figures that may help the reader understand how valuable the criteria are clinically.
References
- References should be cited for the material that you have put on your page. Type in {{reflist|2}}.This will generate your references in small font, in two columns, with links to the original article and abstract.
- For information on how to add references into your page, click here.