Cardinal sign (pathology)
In pathology, a cardinal sign or cardinal symptom is the primary or major clinical sign or symptom by which a diagnosis is made.
A cluster of signs or symptoms are often combined to better diagnose a specific disease or syndrome.Examples
is characterized by five cardinal signs:
- rubor,
- calor,
- tumor,
- dolor, and
- functio laesa.
The first four signs were first established by Aulus Cornelius Celsus in his work De Medicina, and are known by the name Celsus tetrad.
In acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis, diagnosis is normally based on the three cardinal signs of:
