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Over‐reliance on negative test results
Author(s) -
PURVIN V,
KAWASAKI A
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
acta ophthalmologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.534
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1755-3768
pISSN - 1755-375X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1755-3768.2010.1242.x
Subject(s) - confusion , giant cell arteritis , medicine , feature (linguistics) , test (biology) , disease , radiology , optometry , pathology , psychology , vasculitis , linguistics , paleontology , philosophy , psychoanalysis , biology
Purpose This course focuses on areas of frequent diagnostic confusion in the field of neuro‐ophthalmology. Methods The course uses a case‐based method. Cases are presented as unknowns, each illustrating the specific clinical feature or features that should point to the correct diagnosis. Results Certain tests may provide misleading information, apparently "ruling out" a particular disorder, when in fact that is the correct diagnosis. Examples include serologic tests for ocular myasthenia, falsely negative temporal artery biopsy for giant cell arteritis and MRI scans in certain some disorders. Conclusion In order to interpret the results of ancillary testing we must know the clinical features of the disease in question and the limitations of the tests we use.