diagnostic overkill

The use of too many and/or overlapping overlapping tests that provide virtually no additional diagnostic information—e.g., an MRI of the brain when a prior CT identified an intracranial mass

diagnostic overkill

Clinical decision-making The use of excess or overlapping tests that provide virtually no additional diagnostic information–eg, an MRI of the brain when a prior CT identified an intracranial mass. Cf Defensive medicine.

di·ag·nos·tic o·ver·kill

(dī'ăg-nos'tik ō'vĕr-kil)

The excessive use of tests for either medical or legal reasons in the determination of the nature of a disease, injury, or congenital defect.