What is difference between diagnostic and prognostic?

Diagnostic and prognostic are two terms that are often used in medicine. While they are related, they have different meanings.

Diagnostic refers to the process of identifying a disease or condition. This can be done through a variety of methods, such as physical examination, laboratory tests, and imaging studies. The goal of diagnostic testing is to determine the underlying cause of a patient's symptoms so that treatment can be started.

Prognostic refers to the process of predicting the course of a disease or condition. This can be done by looking at a variety of factors, such as the patient's age, sex, medical history, and type of disease. The goal of prognostic testing is to help doctors make decisions about treatment and to provide patients with information about their prognosis.

In general, diagnostic testing is done to identify the cause of a patient's symptoms, while prognostic testing is done to predict the course of a disease or condition. Both types of testing are important in helping doctors make decisions about treatment and providing patients with information about their health.

Here is a table summarizing the key differences between diagnostic and prognostic:

| Feature | Diagnostic | Prognostic |

|---|---|---|

| Goal | Identify the cause of a patient's symptoms | Predict the course of a disease or condition |

| Methods | Physical examination, laboratory tests, imaging studies | Patient's age, sex, medical history, type of disease |

| Purpose | Help doctors make decisions about treatment | Provide patients with information about their prognosis |

Diagnostic testing is essential in the field of medicine to identify the cause and symptoms of an illness. Prognosis, on the other hand, is a helpful tool to predict the natural course of a given disease.