Diagnosis (article structure)

Diagnosis is one of the main subheadings (H1) in a standard article. 

Location

The "Diagnosis" subheading is located after “Epidemiology” and before “Clinical presentation”.

Structure

The diagnosis is usually made by specific "diagnostic criteria". They might be clinical, imaging-related, radiological, pathological or any combination of these.

Immediately underneath the "Diagnosis" subheading, a brief statement should be included on how the diagnosis is obtained; e.g. “The diagnosis is based on clinical criteria and typical findings on coronary angiography”. If these are discussed elsewhere on the page (e.g. imaging features or histology) then adding "(see below)" is encouraged rather than repeating the information. 

In situations where there are officially accepted 'diagnostic criteria' published the following subheadings can be used as applicable:

Diagnostic criteria (H2)

As an introduction it should be mentioned, who established those criteria e.g. guidelines, expert panel or study group (this should be referenced of course) e.g. “Diagnostic criteria according to the WHO classification of soft tissue and bone tumors (5th edition) ¹:”

If there are equally relevant different criteria published by another institution or guideline this might be also included.

Diagnostic clues (H2)

Optional subheading covering pertinent imaging-related, clinical information and further data in situations where 'diagnostic criteria' are present but extensive workup is involved.

This paragraph should be concise and to the point covering only the most diagnosis-relevant imaging data and clinical information and should not repeat detailed info from the other paragraphs.

Examples

• chronic ankle instability (clinical)

• fracture (radiological)

• osteosarcoma (combined: radiological - pathological)

• pericarditis (clinical with supplemental radiological information)

• snapping biceps femoris tendon (primarily clinical)

• telangiectatic osteosarcoma (combined: radiological - pathological)

• toothpaste tumor of the mitral valve (radiological - multimodal)

• vasospastic angina (combined: clinical - specific test)

• well-differentiated liposarcoma (pathological)