Differential diagnosis
Formal Definition
A ranked list of possible diagnoses that could explain the patient's symptoms, ordered by likelihood.
How It's Used on the Ward
"What's your differential?" = What are you thinking this could be?
Example
""For this patient's acute chest pain, my differential includes ACS, PE, pneumothorax, pericarditis, and aortic dissection - but given the EKG changes, ACS is top of my list.""
Clinical Context
Generating a thoughtful differential is THE core intellectual skill of clinical medicine. Attendings will pimp you on this relentlessly.
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