Definition:
The process of comparison among diseases exhibiting similar signs and symptoms.
When a patient has symptoms common to more than one disease or condition, the doctor will make a list of the possibilities, then eliminate them based on the symptoms that may not fit some of the possibilities. An empowered patient knows to ask the doctor for a list of all the possibilities, asking "What else can it be?"
Also Known As: Ddx, DDX or ddx are all abbreviations for differential diagnosis.
