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Diagnosis is the process of identifying a disease or disorder in a person by examining the person and studying the results of medical tests.

The process of diagnosis begins when a patient appears before a doctor with a set of symptoms, such as pain, nausea, fever, or some other unusual feeling. In many cases, the diagnosis is relatively simple. The physician can decide by making a few simple observations as to the patient's problem and can prescribe a proper treatment. At other times, the symptoms may be more difficult to interpret, and making a diagnosis may require laboratory tests and other kinds of examinations.

Sources of information

In order to make a diagnosis, a physician searches for information from three major sources: the patient himself or...