Gold Standard Diagnostics

A comprehensive collection of gold standard diagnostic tests and clinical markers for neurological, orthopedic, infectious, reproductive, respiratory, cardiovascular, endocrine, and gastrointestinal conditions.

Meningitis Gold Standard

Lumbar puncture (CSF)

Stroke Gold Standard

Non-contrast CT

TIA Gold standard

MRI

Seizure (new onset)

MRI

Multiple Sclerosis Gold Standard

MRI of the brain and spinal cord with contrast

Myasthenia Gravis Gold Standard

EMG and AChR antibodies

Alzheimer's Gold Standard

Autopsy is definitive; MMSE is used for screening

Guillain-Barré Gold Standard

Lumbar puncture

Osteoporosis Gold Standard

DEXA scan with a score of $-2.5$ or less

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Anti-CCP antibodies (anti cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies)

SLE Gold Standard

ANA antibodies

HIV Gold Standard

HIV $1/2$ differentiation assay

Syphilis Gold Standard

Treponemal screen or darkfield microscopy

Syphilis initial screening

RPR

Gonorrhea/Chlamydia Gold Standard

NAAT from urine or swab

Bacterial Vaginosis Gold Standard

Clue cells on wet mount

Mononucleosis

Monospot (EBV antibodies)

Lyme Disease Gold Standard

ELISA followed by Western blot

Hepatitis B Gold Standard

HBsAg + anti-HBc IgM

Hepatitis C Gold Standard

HCV RNA (PCR)

Hepatitis C initial screening test

Anti-HCV

Ectopic Pregnancy Gold Standard

Transvaginal ultrasound

Ectopic pregnancy other findings

Low HCG levels

Testicular Torsion Gold Standard

Doppler ultrasound

Testicular torsion other findings

Absent cremasteric reflex

Cervical cancer

Colposcopy w/ biopsy

PCOS

Pelvic ultrasound + lbs (LH, FSH, testosterone)

Menopause Gold standard

FSH >30

Menopause other findings

12 months amenorrhea

DVT gold standard

Ultrasound, other findings D Dimer

Atypical PNA

PCR nasopharyngeal swab

TB gold standard

Sputum culture

TB initial test

Mantoux test

Pulmonary Embolism Gold Standard

CT pulmonary angiography

Pulmonary embolism in pregnancy test

V/Q scan

Asthma Gold Standard

$12\%$ improvement of $FEV1$ post bronchodilator

COPD Gold Standard

FEV1/FVC < 0.7 post bronchodilator

Pertussis

PCR nasopharyngeal swab

Influenza

PCR

Cystic Fibrosis Gold Standard

Sweat chloride test

Angle Closure Glaucoma Gold Standard

Tonometry ($10-20$ is normal)

Corneal abrasion

Fluorescein staining

Foreign body in eye

Slit lamp

Heart Failure Gold Standard

Echocardiogram

HF other findings

BNP >100

MI gold standard

Cardiac catheter, other findings of ST elevation on ECG

CAD Gold Standard

Coronary angiography, other findings of stress test

Hypertension

BP monitoring, in clinic is 2 readings on 2 different visits or >180 on one visit

Pericarditis gold standard

Echo

Endocarditis Gold Standard

Blood cultures and Echo + TEE

Aortic Dissection

CT angiography

PAD Gold Standard

Angiography; other findings include ABI < 0.9

Diabetes Mellitus Gold Standard

A1C > 6.5\%

Addisons disease gold standard

ACTH stimulation test

Cushing's Gold Standard

Salivary cortisol, $24$hr urinary free cortisol, or dexamethasone suppression test

Pheochromocytoma Gold Standard

Plasma free metanephrines

Peptic ulcer gold standard

Endoscopy w/ biopsy

Peptic ulcer other findings

Urea breath test or stool antigen test

GI bleed

Endoscopy or colonoscopy

Appendicitis Gold Standard

Abdominal CT with contrast

Appendicitis in pediatric/ pregnancy

Ultrasound , other findings of Rovsing, Psoas, Obturator, Markle, McBurney Sign

Kidney Stone Gold Standard

Non-contrast CT abdomen/pelvis

Kidney stone in pregnancy

Ultrasound

UTI / pyelonephritis gold standard

Urine culture , UA for initial screening

AAA Gold Standard

Abdominal ultrasound