[Second edition of the Diagnostic compass]

The second edition of the Diagnostic compass once more aims at contributing to rational use of accessory diagnostic techniques. The target group of the book consists of all physicians directly or indirectly involved in diagnosing patients clinical chemists and--from this second edition onwards--senior medical students. The number of clinical problems in the first part of the book is extended from 111 to 229. They are grouped in chapters and subsequently printed in alphabetical order. New is the interpretation of data gathered from clinical investigation. The tests in the second part are updated. Chapters on pathology and on clinical genetics have been added. The chapter on clinical chemistry has been extended with HLA diagnostics. The contents wherever possible are based on scientific data and existing standards of the Dutch College of General Practitioners and on guidelines of the Dutch Institute for Health Care Improvement CBO and of scientific associations.