Cardinal sign (pathology)

In pathology, a cardinal sign or cardinal symptom is the primary or major clinical sign symptom by which a diagnosis is made.

A cluster of signs or symptoms are often combined (pathognomonic) to better diagnose a specific disease or syndrome.

Inflammation is characterized by five cardinal signs:

The first four signs were first established by Aulus Cornelius Celsus in his work De Medicina (1st Century DC), and are known by the name Celsus tetrad.

In acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis, diagnosis is normally based on the three cardinal signs of:

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