False-positive test result
A false-positive test result is one that appears to detect a disease or condition when in fact it is not present. A false-positive test result may thus suggest that a person has the disease or condition when he or she does not.
For example, a false-positive pregnancy test result would be one that appears to detect the substance (human chorionic gonadotropin) that would confirm pregnancy, when in reality the woman is not pregnant.
| Author | Jeannette Curtis |
| Author | Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS |
| Editor | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Tracy Landauer |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine |
| Last Updated | May 25, 2007 |
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
Last Updated:
May 25, 2007
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