Figure - Diagnostic Workflow

Purpose

Map the clinical micro decision path from specimen to actionable report.

Used In

• MOC - Diagnostic & Lab Methods
• Culture and Isolation
• Learning Media Hub

Diagram

flowchart LR
  Clin[Clinical syndrome] --> Spec[Right specimen]
  Spec --> Fast[Rapid track]
  Spec --> Cult[Culture track]

  Fast --> Gram[[Gram Stain]]
  Fast --> NAAT[[PCR] / antigen]
  Cult --> Grow[[Culture and Isolation]]
  Grow --> ID[ID: MALDI / biochem]
  ID --> AST[[Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing]]
  ID --> WGS[[Whole-Genome Sequencing]]

  Gram --> Report[Interpret with pretest probability]
  NAAT --> Report
  AST --> Report
  WGS --> Epi[Outbreak / resistome]
  Report --> Rx[Therapy + infection control]

Teaching Legend

Question	Best first tool
What’s the morphology now?	Gram Stain
Is a specific virus/gene present?	PCR
What drug will work?	Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing
Are these isolates related?	Whole-Genome Sequencing

Quick Self-Check

1. Which track yields AST?
2. When is NAAT preferred over culture?