What is meant by the term “differential diagnosis”?

The term “differential diagnosis” refers to the process of identifying a medical condition by comparing and contrasting it with other conditions that present similar symptoms. This is a crucial part of clinical decision-making because many diseases can share overlapping clinical features, which can complicate the assessment and lead to misdiagnosis if not properly disentangled.

In practice, the clinician considers all potential conditions that could explain the patient's symptoms and then narrows down the possibilities through further questioning, physical examinations, or diagnostic tests. This methodical approach ensures a more accurate diagnosis, leading to appropriate treatment plans and better patient outcomes. The ability to differentiate between similar conditions is fundamental in emergency and primary care settings, where time and accuracy are of the essence.