Google Used To Diagnose Disease

dptalia writes "About 20% of all diseases are misdiagnosed, a percentage that has remained steady since the 1930s. However, scientists have discovered that by inputting the key symptoms into Google they can get the correct diagnosis about 58% of the time. For rare and unusual diseases, this provides doctors the information they need to get a correct cure. Of course, Google is only as good as its knowledge base, and its users, so this isn't a cure for everything."

Comments

Apostrophe abuse

[Alioth]

Zonk, this summary abuses apostrophes badly.

As Dave Barry said, "An apostrophe doesn't mean - Yikes! Look out! Here comes an S".

Tip: It's means "it is".

Re:20% error compared to 42% error of Google?

[snarkh]

Don't get too excited about these numbers. The whole study is based on 26 examples.

Re:Since we're using famous websites

[Anonymous Coward]

It's called http://pubmed.com/ and I use it all the time in exactly the same way. Google is my second choice. You can't practice medicine without internet access now.

ASO, MD
Neurology

That's actually not been shown to work

[spineboy]

These lesions usually spontaneously resolve, or can be treated with bisphosphonates (osteoporosis meds) and a bone stimulator. Surgical drilling has not been shown to affect the outcome. The fact that your friends knees became better probably had nothing to do with the surgery. Knee replacements are indicated when the osteonecrosis leads to collapse of the knee joint, usually in large lesions. Since your friend is young, a total knee replacement would not be the preferred treatment - an osteotomy (cutting the bone to change the knee alignment and weight bearing area) would be the preferred treatment.

-Francis C. MD
Dept. Musculoskeletal Oncology, Orthopaedic Surgery.