Misdiagnosis as an ethical and scientific challenge

摘要: Difficulties of behavioral assessment consciousness. An astonishingly high rate misdiagnosis between vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome and minimally conscious state has been detected. This raises the issue adequacy consciousness' in patients with disorders The consciousness could be not able to detect covert awareness, which is increasingly identified by instrumental assessment. Ancillary methods. Neurotechnology, particularly neuroimaging, provides relevant data concerning neurological underlying condition DOCs, but approach still assess some technical issues. Ethical considerations. A correct diagnosis a DOC only an issue, also ethically demand scientific community. Finally, integration assessments seems most adequate strategy order decrease misdiagnosis.