Differential Diagnoses for Various Medical Scenarios
Scenario 1: Mass in the Triceps
- Single most likely diagnosis: Malignancy (given the strong suspicion from MRI findings)
- Other Likely diagnoses: Benign tumors, cysts, or inflammatory conditions
- Do Not Miss: Soft tissue sarcoma (due to its aggressive nature and potential for metastasis)
- Rare diagnoses: Neurofibroma, lipoma, or other rare soft tissue tumors
Scenario 2: Green Amniotic Fluid During Delivery
- Single most likely diagnosis: Fetal distress (meconium staining is a common cause of green amniotic fluid)
- Other Likely diagnoses: Premature labor, fetal infection
- Do Not Miss: Placental abruption (a life-threatening condition for both mother and fetus)
- Rare diagnoses: Uterine rupture, amniotic fluid embolism
Scenario 3: Misalignment in Eyes in a 5-Year-Old
- Single most likely diagnosis: Strabismus (a common condition in children)
- Other Likely diagnoses: Refractive errors, amblyopia
- Do Not Miss: Retinoblastoma (a rare but potentially deadly condition if missed)
- Rare diagnoses: Cranial nerve palsy, orbital tumors
Scenario 4: Anemia with Normocytic Normochromic RBCs
- Single most likely diagnosis: Anemia of chronic disease (given the presence of target cells and inclusion bodies)
- Other Likely diagnoses: Sickle cell disease, thalassemia
- Do Not Miss: Hemoglobinopathies (such as sickle cell disease or beta-thalassemia major)
- Rare diagnoses: Pyruvate kinase deficiency, other rare enzymopathies
Scenario 5: 35-Year-Old Female with a 3cm Breast Mass
- Single most likely diagnosis: Breast cancer (given the presence of a palpable mass)
- Other Likely diagnoses: Fibroadenoma, cysts
- Do Not Miss: Phyllodes tumor (a rare but potentially aggressive condition)
- Rare diagnoses: Breast sarcoma, lymphoma
Scenario 6: Postmenopausal Bleeding with Pelvic Pain and Pressure
- Single most likely diagnosis: Endometrial cancer (given the presence of postmenopausal bleeding and a large uterine mass)
- Other Likely diagnoses: Uterine fibroids, adenomyosis
- Do Not Miss: Uterine sarcoma (a rare but aggressive condition)
- Rare diagnoses: Ovarian cancer, cervical cancer
Scenario 7: Screening for Diabetes in a Postpartum Woman
- Single most likely diagnosis: Impaired glucose tolerance (given the HbA1c level of 5.5%)
- Other Likely diagnoses: Normal glucose tolerance, gestational diabetes mellitus
- Do Not Miss: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (given the family history and obesity)
- Rare diagnoses: LADA (latent autoimmune diabetes in adults), MODY (maturity-onset diabetes of the young)
Scenario 8: Cognitive Decline in a 70-Year-Old Woman with Type 2 DM
- Single most likely diagnosis: Alzheimer's disease (given the gradual decline in cognitive function)
- Other Likely diagnoses: Vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia
- Do Not Miss: Vitamin B12 deficiency (a reversible cause of cognitive decline)
- Rare diagnoses: Neurodegenerative diseases (such as Huntington's disease or Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease)
Scenario 9: Asymptomatic Left Ventricular Hypertrophy and Reduced EF
- Single most likely diagnosis: Hypertensive heart disease (given the left ventricular hypertrophy)
- Other Likely diagnoses: Cardiomyopathy, coronary artery disease
- Do Not Miss: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (a rare but potentially deadly condition)
- Rare diagnoses: Fabry disease, other rare cardiomyopathies
Scenario 10: Complications of CFTR
- Single most likely diagnosis: Nasal polyps (given the association with CFTR)
- Other Likely diagnoses: Bronchiectasis, pancreatic insufficiency
- Do Not Miss: Respiratory failure (a life-threatening complication of CFTR)
- Rare diagnoses: Cor pulmonale, other rare complications of CFTR
Scenario 11: Skin Manifestation with UC
- Single most likely diagnosis: Erythema nodosum (given the association with UC)
- Other Likely diagnoses: Pyoderma gangrenosum, psoriasis
- Do Not Miss: Dermatitis herpetiformis (a rare but potentially debilitating condition)
- Rare diagnoses: Sweet's syndrome, other rare skin conditions
Scenario 12: Massive Rectal Bleeding
- Single most likely diagnosis: Diverticular disease (given the age and presentation)
- Other Likely diagnoses: Colorectal cancer, angiodysplasia
- Do Not Miss: Lower GI bleeding from a vascular source (a life-threatening condition)
- Rare diagnoses: Meckel's diverticulum, other rare causes of rectal bleeding
Scenario 13: DNR and Resuscitation in a Young Patient
- Single most likely diagnosis: Cardiac arrest (given the need for resuscitation)
- Other Likely diagnoses: Respiratory failure, sepsis
- Do Not Miss: Reversible causes of cardiac arrest (such as hypovolemia or hypoxia)
- Rare diagnoses: Anaphylaxis, other rare causes of cardiac arrest
Scenario 14: Complications of Blood Transfusion
- Single most likely diagnosis: Hypocalcemia (given the association with citrate toxicity)
- Other Likely diagnoses: Transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI), transfusion-associated circulatory overload (TACO)
- Do Not Miss: Hemolytic transfusion reaction (a life-threatening condition)
- Rare diagnoses: Anaphylaxis, other rare complications of blood transfusion