Negative

What does "Negative" mean in a report or doctor's letter? In our medical dictionary, you will find a patient-friendly explanation of the meaning of this medical term.

Explanation

In the field of medicine, "negative" is a term used to describe the absence or non-existence of a particular condition or disease. For example, if a test for a certain disease comes back "negative," it means that the disease was not found in the person's body. It's like saying "no" to the question of whether a person has a certain health problem. So, in simple terms, a "negative" result is generally a good thing as it indicates that a person is free from the specific disease or condition that the test was checking for.

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