Diagnostic challenges from conflicting results of tests and imaging

Abstract

Accurate diagnosis is the foundation of clinical care but accurate diagnosis is not easily reached in some cases. In rare instances, even a sophisticated multidisciplinary team at an academic medical center cannot reliably reach an accurate diagnosis after extensive testing and imaging, and has to wait until histological diagnosis or even autopsy results are available. The underlying reason of challenging diagnoses is mostly conflicting data from history, tests, and imaging that point to different diagnoses. In this issue of World Journal of Clinical Cases, Huffaker et al reported such a challenging case of a tricuspid mass in a patient with Li-Fraumeni syndrome. The case by Huffaker et al powerfully illustrates the occasional diagnostic challenges inherent in our current diagnostic approach and the current technology. Clinicians should realize that in rare situations, agnosticism in diagnosis is unavoidable but a treatment has to be initiated so long as the principle of primum non nocere is upheld.

Keywords: Li-Fraumeni syndrome; Cardiac mass; Thrombus; Challenging diagnosis; Histological diagnosis; False positive results

Core Tip: The underlying reason of challenging diagnoses is mostly conflicting data from history, tests, and imaging that point to different diagnoses. The case by Huffaker et al powerfully illustrates the occasional diagnostic challenges inherent in our current diagnostic approach and technology. Clinicians should realize that in rare situations, agnosticism in diagnosis is unavoidable but a treatment has to be initiated so long as the principle of primum non nocere is upheld.