Customer Reviews

Interpretation of Diagnostic Tests

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4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

I, too, have been using this reference for several years. I consider it to be one of the five most useful medical books on my shelf. This is probably the only book I feel the need to purchase every time there is an updated edition. I strongly recommend it for medical students, residents, midlevel providers and practicing physicians. It is a core reference in medical board review. It may also be of value for nursing staff in the hospital or clinic setting, especially for critical care nurses, or for anyone who is motivated to learn about medical diagnosis. The book is less likely to be useful to patients and their families, due to its highly technical nature.

I have been using this reference for several years. I can't practice medicine without it. I have made many esoteric diagnoses with it. It is extremely helpful whenever I have abnormal lab values, which do not seem to make sense at the time. Other lab references pale in comparison. Not only are abnormal labs explained, but the disease processes as well. I really like the way the book divides the elevated lab value from the decreased lab value, with their respective etiologies. An essential, excellent book!

An indispensable guide. Thorough and complete. Very helpful both in determining what tests to order, and how to interpret test results; especially helpful for the less common and more esoteric tests.

This is a little book I've been using since day one at work, and let me say it is simply the most practical reference I had ever bought. It has a very concise overview of the principles underlying any diagnosis, an overview of some critical values, a pathologist incline clasification in the book (more disease oriented), and a super complete list of causes that may provoque the anomalies detected and outlined in this book. All in a minute consultation, really fast and easy to use. Simply very, very good.

I am surprised that many professionals are not aware of the results of the diagnostic test results that are listed in this medical reference. Every doctor's office should have this manuscript in their library. Especially for the nurse practioners and physician assistants in their employ.
My initial curiosity was with the results of urine tests/toxicology tests and the way certain tests are skewed by other drugs/agents in the patients regimens.
One should be especially interested in false positives in urine tests, that can be caused by other medications.

A patient of mine was acccused of being positive for benzodiazepines on a urine test by the same nurse practioner that prescibed him/her high doses of ibuprofen. This manuscript proved that the results of the urine test were wrong. There are no blood tests to prove otherwise. The medical facility now agrees that this book should be in their library. Saving the patient undo stress/ridicule/delay of actual competent therapy.

this book i first heard about in medical school and have been using every since. For any student , resident or other medical personel that ever wonders " why did they order that?" or " tests are abnormal.. what does that mean?" this book is for you

Very useful! This is the one source for test interpretations that you need. Sensibility and specificity? This book will give you much more than that, including indications, limitations, factors that alter the results and more. I highly recommend it.

This was shading the edges of truth in advertising. I got a brand new copy of the first (1980s) edition not a copy of the new 2007 edition. The copy seems to imply that it is the latest edition. Buyer beware.