Skip to main content

Nosology Trap

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Cognitive Errors and Diagnostic Mistakes
  • 2430 Accesses

Abstract

Sadie was a 45-year-old woman who presented with 3 days of right-sided weakness and numbness. She had a history of systemic lupus erythematosus and had a prior episode of visual loss due to inflammation of her optic nerve (optic neuritis) several years prior. An MRI on admission showed a large lesion in the left frontal lobe. A biopsy was performed showing that this was a demyelinating lesion, and it was felt to be either due to multiple sclerosis (MS) or systemic lupus erythematosus (Fig. 1).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 44.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Fisher RS, Shafer PO, D’Souza C. (2016). 2017 revised classification of seizures, J. I. Sirven (Reviewer). Epilepsy Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.epilepsy.com/article/2016/12/2017-revised-classification-seizures.

  2. Esserman LJ, Thompson IM, Reid B. Overdiagnosis and overtreatment in cancer: an opportunity for improvement. JAMA. 2013;310(8):797–8. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2013.108415.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Nikiforov YE, Seethala RR, Tallini G, Baloch ZW, Basolo F, Thompson LDR, Barletta JA, Wenig BM, Al Ghuzlan A, Kakudo K, Giordano TJ, Alves VA, Khanafshar E, Asa SL, El-Naggar AK, Gooding WE, Hodak SP, Lloyd RV, Maytal G, Mete O, Nikiforova MN, Nosé V, Papotti M, Poller DN, Sadow PM, Tischler AS, Tuttle RM, Wall KB, VA LV, Randolph GW, Ghossein RA. Nomenclature revision for encapsulated follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma: a paradigm shift to reduce overtreatment of indolent tumors. JAMA Oncol. 2016;2(8):1023–9. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaoncol.2016.0386.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. Dalmau J, Tüzün E, Wu H, Masjuan J, Rossi JE, Voloschin A, Baehring JM, Shimazaki H, Koide R, King D, Mason W, Sansing LH, Dichter MA, Rosenfeld MR, Lynch DR. Paraneoplastic anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis associated with ovarian teratoma. Ann Neurol. 2007;61(1):25–36. https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.21050.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  5. Munts AG, Koehler PJ. How psychogenic is dystonia? Views from past to present. Brain. 2010;133(5):1552–64. https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awq050.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Pritchard MH. Writer’s cramp: Is focal dystonia the best explanation? JRSM Short Rep. 2013;4(7):1–7. https://doi.org/10.1177/2042533313480071.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  7. Martin T. Disease-mongers: how doctors, drug companies, and insurers are making you feel sick. N Engl J Med. 1993;328(3):218. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM199301213280322.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Moynihan R, Heath I, Henry D. Selling sickness: the pharmaceutical industry and disease mongering. BMJ. 2002;324(7342):886–91. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.324.7342.886.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  9. Donaldson MG, Cawthon PM, Lui LY, Schousboe JT, Ensrud KE, Taylor BC, Cauley JA, Hillier TA, Black DM, Bauer DC, Cummings SR. Estimates of the proportion of older white women who would be recommended for pharmacological treatment by the new U.S. National Osteoporosis Foundation guidelines. J Bone Miner Res. 2009;24(4):675–80. https://doi.org/10.1359/jbmr.081203.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Bernstein L, Cha AE. (2017, Nov 13). Blood pressure of 130 is the new ‘high,’ according to first update of guidelines in 14 years. The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2017/11/13/blood-pressure-of-130-is-the-new-high-according-to-first-update-of-guidelines-in-14-years/.

  11. American Heart Association News. (2017, Nov 13). Nearly half of U.S. adults could now be classified with high blood pressure, under new definitions. American Heart Association. Retrieved from https://www.heart.org/en/news/2018/07/18/nearly-half-of-us-adults-could-now-be-classified-with-high-blood-pressure-under-new-definitions.

  12. Moynihan RN, Cooke GPE, Doust JA, Bero L, Hill S, Glasziou PP. Expanding disease definitions in guidelines and expert panel ties to industry: a cross-sectional study of common conditions in the United States. PLoS Med. 2013;10(8):e1001500. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001500.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  13. Doust J, Vandvik PO, Qaseem A, Mustafa RA, Horvath AR, Frances A, Al-Ansary L, Bossuyt P, Ward RL, Kopp I, Gollogly L, Schunemann H, Glasziou P. Guidance for modifying the definition of diseases. JAMA Intern Med. 2017;177(7):1020–5. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2017.1302.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. McWhinney IR. Health and disease: problems of definition. CMAJ. 1987;136(8):815.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  15. Tikkinen KAO, Leinonen JS, Guyatt GH, Ebrahim S, Järvinen TLN. What is a disease? Perspectives of the public, health professionals and legislators. BMJ Open. 2012;2(6):e001632. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2012-001632.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  16. Smith R. In search of “non-disease”. BMJ. 2002;324(7342):883–5. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.324.7342.883.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  17. Admin. (2014, April 29). Frequently asked questions [Blog post]. Morgellons Disease? The Morgellons Research Foundation (MRF). Retrieved from https://www.morgellons.org/faq-home.htm.

  18. Mystery skin disease Morgellons has no clear cause, CDC study says. (2012, Jan 25). NBC News. Retrieved from http://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/01/25/10236063-mystery-skin-disease-morgellons-has-no-clear-cause-cdc-study-says.

  19. Meador CK. The art and science of nondisease. N Engl J Med. 1965;272(2):92–5. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM196501142720208.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Thomas KB. General practice consultations: is there any point in being positive? Br Med J (Clin Res Ed). 1987;294(6581):1200–2. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.294.6581.1200.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Beck J. (2016, Mar 11). ‘Americanitis’: the disease of living too fast. The Atlantic. Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/03/the-history-of-neurasthenia-or-americanitis-health-happiness-and-culture/473253/.

  22. Poussaint AF. Is extreme racism a mental illness?: yes: it can be a delusional symptom of psychotic disorders. West J Med. 2002;176(1):4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Held A. (2017, July 25). ‘Goldwater rule’ still in place barring many psychiatrists from commenting on Trump. National Public Radio. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/07/25/539238529/goldwater-rule-still-in-place-barring-many-psychiatrists-from-commenting-on-trum.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Howard, J. (2019). Nosology Trap. In: Cognitive Errors and Diagnostic Mistakes. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93224-8_18

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93224-8_18

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-93223-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-93224-8

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics