This text offers students, residents, and practitioners a systematic approach to differential diagnosis of symptoms and signs seen by primary care physicians. Dr. Collins organizes symptoms and signs into categories--pain, mass, bloody discharge, non-bloody discharge, functional changes, and abnormal laboratory results--and shows readers how to use their basic science knowledge to identify the possible causes of each symptom. He then describes the procedures and laboratory tests that need to be included in the workup. Numerous tables organize and structure the differential diagnosis and more than 200 two-color drawings help readers visualize relevant anatomy. An appendix describes the laboratory workup of various diseases.

This introductory textbook presents the fundamental principles of differential diagnosis. Diagnostic information is arranged alphabetically by symptom, with basic science information to help specify the diagnosis. Two-color diagrams illustrate the basic anatomy, and reference tables provide easy access to relevant facts. Annotation (c)2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)