Confusable diagnoses · PANCE / PANRE
Commonly-confused diagnoses, side by side
139 high-yield "X vs Y" comparisons — the diagnoses students mix up most on the boards. Each page juxtaposes presentation, workup, imaging, and first-line treatment, drawn from our full outlines.
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Start studying free → Browse all 514 diagnosesCardiovascular 11
Acute Coronary Syndrome vs Aortic DissectionAcute Pericarditis vs MyocarditisAortic Aneurysm vs Aortic DissectionAortic Stenosis vs Hypertrophic CardiomyopathyAtrial Fibrillation vs Atrial FlutterAtrial Flutter vs Supraventricular TachycardiaAtrial Septal Defect vs Ventricular Septal DefectHeart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction vs Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection FractionMitral Regurgitation vs Mitral StenosisPatent Ductus Arteriosus vs Ventricular Septal DefectPatent Ductus Arteriosus vs Atrial Septal Defect
Pulmonary 9
Asthma vs Cystic FibrosisBronchiolitis vs PertussisChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease vs AsthmaCommunity-Acquired Pneumonia vs InfluenzaCommunity-Acquired Pneumonia vs Acute BronchitisCommunity-Acquired Pneumonia vs Aspiration Pneumonia and PneumonitisCroup vs EpiglottitisPulmonary Embolism vs PneumothoraxTuberculosis vs Sarcoidosis
Gastrointestinal 12
Acute Appendicitis vs Acute CholecystitisAcute Cholecystitis vs Cholelithiasis and Biliary ColicAcute Pancreatitis vs Small Bowel ObstructionCholelithiasis and Biliary Colic vs Choledocholithiasis and Ascending CholangitisCrohn Disease vs Ulcerative ColitisDiverticulitis and Diverticulosis vs Acute AppendicitisEsophageal Varices vs Mallory-Weiss TearGastroesophageal Reflux Disease vs Peptic Ulcer DiseaseIrritable Bowel Syndrome vs Colorectal CancerIrritable Bowel Syndrome vs Celiac DiseaseMallory-Weiss Tear vs Boerhaave SyndromePrimary Biliary Cholangitis vs Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis
Musculoskeletal 16
Fibromyalgia vs Polymyositis and DermatomyositisGout vs Septic ArthritisGout vs PseudogoutMeniscus Tear vs Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) TearOsteoarthritis vs Rheumatoid ArthritisOsteoarthritis vs PseudogoutOsteoarthritis vs Psoriatic ArthritisOsteoporosis vs Osteomalacia and RicketsPolymyalgia Rheumatica vs Giant Cell ArteritisPolymyalgia Rheumatica vs FibromyalgiaPseudogout vs Septic ArthritisRheumatoid Arthritis vs Psoriatic ArthritisRheumatoid Arthritis vs Systemic Lupus ErythematosusRheumatoid Arthritis vs Polymyalgia RheumaticaSeptic Arthritis vs BursitisSlipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis vs Legg-Calvé-Perthes Disease
Endocrinology 3
Neurology 17
Alzheimer Disease vs Vascular DementiaAlzheimer Disease vs Dementia with Lewy BodiesAlzheimer Disease vs Frontotemporal DementiaBenign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo vs Vestibular Neuritis and LabyrinthitisBenign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo vs Ménière DiseaseGuillain-Barré Syndrome vs Myasthenia GravisIschemic Stroke vs Hemorrhagic (Intracerebral) StrokeIschemic Stroke vs Transient Ischemic AttackIschemic Stroke vs Bell PalsyMénière Disease vs Vestibular Neuritis and LabyrinthitisMigraine vs Cluster HeadacheMigraine vs Tension-Type HeadacheParkinson Disease vs Essential TremorParkinson Disease vs Dementia with Lewy BodiesSubarachnoid Hemorrhage vs MigraineSubdural Hematoma vs Epidural HematomaTension-Type Headache vs Cluster Headache
Reproductive 12
Bacterial Vaginosis vs Candidal VulvovaginitisBacterial Vaginosis vs TrichomoniasisBenign Prostatic Hyperplasia vs Acute Bacterial ProstatitisBreast Cancer vs FibroadenomaCandidal Vulvovaginitis vs TrichomoniasisEctopic Pregnancy vs Spontaneous AbortionEndometriosis vs Uterine FibroidsPelvic Inflammatory Disease vs Ectopic PregnancyPlacenta Previa vs Placental AbruptionTesticular Torsion vs HydroceleTrichomoniasis vs Atrophic VaginitisVaricocele vs Hydrocele
Psychiatry/Behavioral 12
Anorexia Nervosa vs Bulimia NervosaAntisocial Personality Disorder vs Histrionic and Narcissistic Personality DisordersAttention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder vs Autism Spectrum DisorderAttention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder vs Bipolar II Disorder and Cyclothymic DisorderBipolar I Disorder vs Bipolar II Disorder and Cyclothymic DisorderBipolar I Disorder vs Borderline Personality DisorderBorderline Personality Disorder vs Antisocial Personality DisorderConversion Disorder vs Factitious Disorder vs MalingeringGeneralized Anxiety Disorder vs Panic DisorderMajor Depressive Disorder vs Bipolar I DisorderMajor Depressive Disorder vs Bipolar II Disorder and Cyclothymic DisorderPanic Disorder vs Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Hematology 14
Acute Myeloid Leukemia vs Acute Lymphoblastic LeukemiaAcute Myeloid Leukemia vs Chronic Myeloid LeukemiaDisseminated Intravascular Coagulation vs Heparin-Induced ThrombocytopeniaG6PD Deficiency vs Hereditary SpherocytosisG6PD Deficiency vs Warm Autoimmune Hemolytic AnemiaHemophilia A and B vs Von Willebrand DiseaseHeparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia vs Antiphospholipid SyndromeHodgkin Lymphoma vs Non-Hodgkin LymphomaImmune Thrombocytopenic Purpura vs Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP) / Hemolytic Uremic SyndromeIron Deficiency Anemia vs Anemia of Chronic DiseaseIron Deficiency Anemia vs ThalassemiaMultiple Myeloma vs Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined SignificanceThrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP) / Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome vs Disseminated Intravascular CoagulationVitamin B12 Deficiency / Pernicious Anemia vs Folate Deficiency Anemia
Renal/Urology 6
Infectious Disease 9
Cellulitis vs ErysipelasCellulitis vs Necrotizing FasciitisChlamydia trachomatis Genital Infection vs GonorrheaInfectious Mononucleosis vs ToxoplasmosisKawasaki Disease vs Scarlet FeverMeasles vs RubellaMeasles vs Scarlet FeverMeasles vs Roseola (HHV-6) and Hand-Foot-Mouth DiseaseSyphilis vs Genital Herpes
Dermatology 11
Acne Vulgaris vs RosaceaAtopic Dermatitis vs Seborrheic DermatitisAtopic Dermatitis vs PsoriasisAtopic Dermatitis vs ScabiesBasal Cell Carcinoma vs Squamous Cell CarcinomaBasal Cell Carcinoma vs MelanomaHidradenitis Suppurativa vs FolliculitisPemphigus Vulgaris vs Bullous PemphigoidPityriasis Rosea vs Tinea InfectionsSeborrheic Dermatitis vs PsoriasisSquamous Cell Carcinoma vs Actinic Keratosis
EENT 7
Acute Angle-Closure Glaucoma vs Primary Open-Angle GlaucomaAcute Otitis Media vs Otitis ExternaAge-Related Macular Degeneration vs Diabetic RetinopathyBacterial Conjunctivitis vs Viral ConjunctivitisBacterial Conjunctivitis vs Allergic ConjunctivitisGroup A Streptococcal Pharyngitis vs Peritonsillar AbscessSubconjunctival Hemorrhage vs Traumatic Hyphema
Educational use only. This outline is a study aid for PA students and is not medical advice or a substitute for clinical judgment. FirstPassPA is an independent study tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by NCCPA. PANCE® and PANRE® are registered trademarks of the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.