clinical suspicion

clinical suspicion

A working hypothesis about a Pt's diagnosis, which is then tested with appropriately targeted tests to arrive at a definitive diagnosis; a CS is based on a constellation of findings in a Pt that suggests to the physician a limited palette of possible diagnoses

clin·i·cal sus·pi·cion

(klin'i-kăl sŭs-pi'shŭn) A strong presumption that, absent a diagnostic or algorithmic certainty, a patient is suffering from a given disorder or state (e.g., AIDS, tuberculosis, pregnancy).