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GlossaryDiagnostic Criteria

specific guidelines used to identify a particular disease

Diagnostic criteria are specific guidelines or standards used by healthcare professionals to determine whether a person has a particular disease or condition. These criteria often include a combination of symptoms, medical history, physical examination findings, and sometimes laboratory or imaging tests. For example, in diagnosing alopecia areata, a doctor might look for characteristic patterns of hair loss, check for other autoimmune conditions, and possibly perform a scalp biopsy.