Types

• Types of diagnostic tests include blood, sputum, urine and stool tests; radiology screenings; vision and hearing tests; and imaging tests such as ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT). Each test can provide a physician with different types of medical information about a patient.
  
  

Features

• Diagnostic tests can help doctors rule out a condition that a patient does not have, identify a condition a patient does have or indicate a change in an ongoing condition.
  
  

Considerations

• Patients might need multiple types of diagnostic tests to identify a medical condition. Tests also might need to be repeated over time to confirm results or monitor a condition.
  
  

Effects

• Diagnostic tests can provide patients with the information they need to make lifestyle changes or take preventive measures to help protect against developing a serious medical condition.
  
  

Misconceptions

• Some diagnostic tests show only whether a patient's result falls within normal ranges, although what is normal for one patient is not necessarily normal for another.
  
  

Benefits

• In some cases diagnostic tests can identify a medical condition before any symptoms or serious complications develop, which may allow for earlier or more successful treatment.