- Pathognomonic
Pathognomonic (often misspelled as "pathognomic" and sometimes as "pathomnemonic") is an adjective of Greek origin (παθογνωμονικό [σύμπτωμα] ), often used in
medicine , which means "diagnostic for a particulardisease ". A pathognomonic sign is a particular sign whose presence means, beyond any doubt, that a particular disease is present. It is derived from the Greek "páthos" (πάθος, disease) and gnōmon (γνώμον, "judge"). Labelling a sign orsymptom "pathognomonic" represents a marked intensification of a "diagnostic" sign or symptom.While some findings may be classic, typical or highly suggestive in a certain condition, they may not occur uniquely in this condition and therefore may not directly imply a specific diagnosis. A pathognomonic finding on the other hand allows immediate diagnosing, since there are no other conditions in the
differential diagnosis . A pathognomonic sign or symptom can sometimes be absent in a certain disease, since the term only implies that when it is present, the doctor instantly knows the patient's illness.Singular pathognomonic signs are relatively uncommon. Examples of pathognomonic findings include
Koplik's spots inside themouth inmeasles , the palmar xanthomata seen on the hands of people suffering fromhyperlipoproteinemia , or a tetrad ofrash ,arthralgia ,abdominal pain andkidney disease in a child withHenoch-Schönlein purpura .Pathognomonic signs
None or very few of the examples here are pathognomonic in the true sense of the word. For example, Parkinsonism is not only seen in Parkinson's disease.
ee also
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Medical sign
*List of eponymous medical signs External links
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