What does misdiagnosis mean?
A misdiagnosis is a medical diagnosis that is incorrect because a condition has been identified wrongly, or its nature or severity has been misunderstood. The term is used by patients, clinicians, lawyers, and journalists when discussing the consequences of diagnostic errors. A misdiagnosis may result from incomplete information, misinterpretation of tests or imaging, failure to consider other conditions, or an incorrect clinical judgment. It is distinct from a missed diagnosis, in which a condition is not detected at all. The word is especially associated with delayed or inappropriate treatment, as a patient may receive care based on a mistaken understanding of the illness. In serious cases, the term can also appear in discussions of medical negligence and patient safety.
nounAn incorrect or mistaken diagnosis of a medical condition, illness, or injury.
- The act of identifying a medical condition incorrectly, or the incorrect diagnosis resulting from such an error.
"After months of being treated for the wrong condition, she learned that she had received a misdiagnosis."
"The patient's symptoms were initially attributed to anxiety, but the later diagnosis showed that the original misdiagnosis had delayed treatment."
"The inquiry concluded that a failure to review the scan had led to the misdiagnosis."
The usual plural is misdiagnoses, with the final -s pronounced as /z/ before a voiced sound.
"The report documented several misdiagnoses that led to delayed treatment."
A misdiagnosis can send a patient down the wrong treatment path, making accurate follow-up testing essential.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does misdiagnosis come from?
Misdiagnosis combines the prefix mis-, meaning wrongly or incorrectly, with diagnosis. Diagnosis comes through Latin from Greek diagnōsis, a word associated with distinguishing or determining the nature of a condition. The modern form developed as medical terminology expanded alongside diagnostic methods. Its relatives include diagnosis, diagnostic, and prognosis, all of which concern identifying or determining the course of a condition.
Related word forms
How misdiagnosis is actually used
Usually used in medical, legal, and health-care contexts. It commonly refers to a mistaken diagnosis of the wrong condition, but may also refer to an incorrect assessment of the severity or nature of a condition.
Easily confused with misdiagnosis
A missed diagnosis is a condition that is not detected when it should have been, whereas a misdiagnosis identifies a condition incorrectly.
A false positive is a test result that incorrectly indicates the presence of a condition, while a misdiagnosis can involve an incorrect conclusion based on many kinds of evidence.