Zebra is a medical slang term for a surprising diagnosis.[1] Although rare diseases are, in general, surprising when they are encountered, other diseases can be surprising in a particular person and time, and so "zebra" is the broader concept.
Zebra (medicine) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "Three master diagnosticians have noted, however, that cautions against making surprising diagnoses (e.g. of a rare disease) are not valid in practitioners with greater knowledge and experience:
In making the diagnosis of the cause of illness in an individual case, calculations of probability have no meaning. The pertinent question is whether the disease is present or not. Whether it is rare or common does not change the odds in a single patient. ... If the diagnosis can be made on the basis of specific criteria, then these criteria are either fulfilled or not fulfilled. -- A. McGehee Harvey, James Bordley II, Jeremiah Barondess[5]
A related, but distinct, term for an obscure and rare diagnosis in medicine is fascinoma."
Other medical aphorisms
Sutton's law - perform first the diagnostic test expected to be most useful
Occam's razor - multiple causes should not be posited without reason
Leonard's Law of Physical Findings - it's obvious or it's not there[6]
KISS principle - Keep It Simple, Stupid
Hickam's dictum - "Patients can have as many diseases as they damn well please"
MADONNA) // (CHILD
So Strong; yet so calm: Mary's Choice.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
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