Quality control of liver diagnosis in newly admitted patients
Frei, A.; Stalder, G.A.
Schweizerische Medizinische Wochenschrift 114(26): 953-955
1984
ISSN/ISBN: 0036-7672 PMID: 6463638 Document Number: 234913
The evaluation of pathological clinical findings or abnormal laboratory tests in the liver was prospectively investigated. Pathological findings were used for diagnosis or differential diagnosis in only 40% of 102 patients investigated. Further investigations, mainly laboratory tests, resulted in definitive diagnosis only in 20%. The yield of pathological results when routinely ordering liver-specific tests is not more than 20%. Fewer, but perhaps more invasive, investigations would lower costs and improve the diagnostic yield.