Medical diagnostics

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Medical Diagnostics

Medical diagnostics (pronunciation: /ˈmɛdɪkəl daɪəgˈnɒstɪks/) is a branch of medicine that involves the study and application of various techniques and procedures used to detect, diagnose, and monitor diseases or other medical conditions.

Etymology

The term "diagnostics" is derived from the Greek word "διαγνωστικός" (diagnostikos), meaning "able to distinguish or discern." The prefix "medical" is derived from the Latin word "medicus," meaning "physician."

Related Terms

  • Clinical Laboratory: A facility where tests are done on clinical specimens to get information about the health of a patient.
  • Pathology: The study of the causes and effects of diseases, especially the branch of medicine that deals with the laboratory examination of samples of body tissue for diagnostic or forensic purposes.
  • Radiology: The science dealing with X-rays and other high-energy radiation, especially the use of such radiation for the diagnosis and treatment of disease.
  • Biopsy: A medical test commonly performed by a surgeon, interventional radiologist, or an interventional cardiologist involving extraction of sample cells or tissues for examination to determine the presence or extent of a disease.
  • Endoscopy: A nonsurgical procedure used to examine a person's digestive tract. Using an endoscope, a flexible tube with a light and camera attached to it, your doctor can view pictures of your digestive tract on a color TV monitor.

See Also

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