Which term describes the process of determining if a patient has a disease?

• A. Screening
• B. Diagnostic
• C. Presumptive
• D. Confirmatory

Answer: (A)

The key idea is distinguishing screening from confirming disease. Screening tests are used to scan large groups to identify people who might have a disease, aiming to catch as many true cases as possible while tolerating some false positives. They indicate who should undergo further evaluation but do not by themselves prove that the disease is present. Determining whether a patient actually has the disease relies on diagnostic testing, which uses more specific criteria and diagnostic criteria to confirm the disease in that individual. After a screening result or clinical suspicion, diagnostic workups—often followed by a confirmatory test with higher specificity—establish the final disease status. Presumptive results are provisional and can lead to further testing, while a confirmatory test provides the definitive confirmation.