The following Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) are recommended for evidence-based medicine research. The MeSH thesarus is the controlled vocabulary for MEDLINE. They provide consistent terminology for concepts covered by the database.

Terms that begin with a slash are subheadings, generic terms used to narrow a particular MeSH. Examples of MeSH/[subheading] combinations are provided.

Each MeSH listed below is linked to its "Scope Note" in the PubMed database. A "Scope Note" provides information on how a particular MeSH is used in MEDLINE, what synonyms it covers, and cross references to other relevant MeSH.

For explanations of explosions (exp) and other MeSH concepts, see How to Find Journal Articles via Ovid MEDLINE.

Diagnostic Testing/Screening

MeSH

• exp Biological Markers
• Diagnostic Techniques & Procedures: use to retrieve the broadest articles only; don't explode (exp)
• Diagnostic Tests, Routine: procedures, such as laboratory tests and x-rays, routinely performed on all individuals or specified categories of individuals in a specified situation, e.g., patients being admitted to the hospital.
• exp Mass Screening
• Predictive Value of Tests
• exp Radiography: use this MeSH for x-ray examinations. The MeSH X-Rays refers to electromagnetic radiation itself.
• Radionuclide Imaging
• exp "Sensitivity & Specificity"
• exp Tumor Markers, Biological
• exp Ultrasonography

Subheadings

• /bl [Blood]: use with a specific disease MeSH (e.g., exp Hypercholesterolemia/bl [Blood])
• /cf [Cerebrospinal Fluid]: use with a specific disease MeSH (e.g., exp Meningitis/cf [Cerebrospinal Fluid])
• /du [Diagnostic Use]: use with chemical compounds, drugs, and physical agents (e.g., exp CONTRAST MEDIA/du [Diagnostic Use])
• /pa [Pathology]: use with a specific disease MeSH (e.g., exp Liver Neoplasms/pa [Pathology])
• /pc [Prevention & Control]: use with a specific disease MeSH for mass screening (e.g., exp Lung Neoplasms/pc [Prevention & Control])
• /ra [Radiography]: use with a specific disease MeSH (e.g., exp Hip Fractures/ra [Radiography])
• /ri [Radionuclide Imaging]: use with a specific disease MeSH (e.g., exp Thyroid Neoplasms/ri [Radionuclide Imaging])
• /us [Ultrasonography]: use with a specific disease MeSH (e.g., exp Ovarian Neoplasms/us [Ultrasonography])
• /ur [Urine]: use with a specific disease MeSH (e.g., exp Bacterial Infections/ur [Urine])

Differential & Physical Diagnosis

MeSH

• Diagnosis, Differential
• Diagnostic Techniques & Procedures: use to retrieve the broadest articles only; don't explode (exp)
• Medical History Taking
• exp Physical Examination
• Predictive Value of Tests
• exp "Sensitivity & Specificity"
• exp "Signs & Symptoms"

Subheadings

• /di [Diagnosis]: use with a specific disease MeSH (e.g., exp Dermatitis, Contact/di [Diagnosis]). Excludes mass screening, radiographic diagnosis, scintigraphic diagnosis and ultrasonic diagnosis, for which specific subheadings exist.

Drug Therapy

MeSH

• Adjuvants, Pharmaceutic
• exp Dosage Forms
• exp Drug Administration Routes
• exp Drug Administration Schedule
• Drug Dose-Response Relationship
• exp Drug Therapy
• exp Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols
  • Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active

Subheadings

• /dt [Drug Therapy]: use with a specific disease MeSH (e.g., exp Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/dt [Drug Therapy])
• /tu [Therapuetic Use]: use with drugs, biological preparations, and physical agents (e.g., exp PHENOBARBITAL/tu [Therapeutic Use])

Other Therapies

MeSH

• exp Combined Modality Therapy
• exp Diet Therapy
• exp Exercise Therapy
• exp Radiotherapy
• exp Rehabilitation
• exp Surgical Procedures, Operative
  • Ambulatory Surgical Procedures
  • Surgical Procedures, Minimally Invasive

Subheadings

• /dh [Diet Therapy]: use with a specific disease MeSH (e.g., exp DIABETES MELLITUS, TYPE 2/dh [Diet Therapy])
• /pc [Prevention & Control]: use with a specific disease MeSH (e.g., exp Coronary Arteriosclerosis/pc [Prevention & Control])
• /ra [Radiotherapy]: use with a specific disease MeSH (e.g. exp Bone Neoplasms/rt [Radiotherapy])
• /re [Rehabilitation]: use with a specific disease MeSH (e.g., exp Cerebrovascular Accident/rh [Rehabilitation])
• /su [Surgery]: use with a specific disease MeSH (e.g., exp Myopia/su [Surgery]); excludes transplantion
• /th [Therapy]: use with a specific disease MeSH (e.g., exp ANXIETY DISORDERS/th [Therapy]); excludes drug therapy, diet therapy, radiotherapy, and surgery, for which specific subheadings exist. Also used for articles dealing with multiple therapies.
• /tu [Therapuetic Use]: use with drugs, biological preparations, and physical agents (e.g., exp Ginkgo biloba/tu [Therapeutic Use])

Treatment Outcomes

• Recovery of Function
• Recurrence
• Neoplasm Recurrence, Local
• Remission Induction
• Time Factors
• exp Treatment Outcome
  • Treatment Failure

Prognosis

• Life Expectancy
• exp Mortality
  • Fatal Outcome
• Survival Rate
• exp Prognosis
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Medical Futility
  • Pregnancy Outcome
  • exp Treatment Outcome
    • Treatment Failure
• Quality of Life
• Quality-Adjusted Life Year
• Recovery of Function
• Recurrence
• Remission Induction
• Sex Factors
• exp Survival
• exp Survival Analysis
  • Disease-Free Survival
• Time Factors

Subheadings

• /mo [Mortality]: use with human and veterinary diseases for mortality statistics. For deaths resulting from various procedures statistically but for a death resulting in a specific case, use FATAL OUTCOME, not /mortality.

Etiology/Harm

MeSH

• Disease Susceptibility
• exp Drug Hypersensitivity
• exp Drug Interactions
• exp Environmental Pollution
• exp Occupational Diseases
• Polypharmacy
• exp Risk
  • Risk Assessment
  • Risk Factors
• Sex Factors
• exp Teratogens
• Time Factors

Subheadings

• /ae [Adverse Effects]: use with drugs, chemicals, or biological agents in accepted dosage - or with physical agents or manufactured products in normal usage (e.g. exp Plants, Genetically Modified/ae [Adverse Effects])

Economic Analysis

MeSH

• exp Costs and Cost Analysis
  • Cost Allocation
  • Cost-Benefit Analysis
  • exp Cost Control
    • Cost Savings
  • Cost of Illness
  • exp Cost Sharing
    • Deductibles and Coinsurance
    • Medical Savings Accounts
  • exp Health Care Costs
  • exp Health Expenditures
• exp Economics
  • Compensation and Redress
  • exp Economics, Hospital
  • exp Economics, Medical
  • Economics, Pharmaceutical
  • exp Fees and Charges
• exp Health Care Economics and Organizations
• exp Health Care Facilities, Manpower, and Services
  • exp Health Facilities
    • exp Academic Medical Centers
    • exp Ambulatory Care Facilities
    • Bed Occupancy
    • exp Hospital Units
    • Physicians' Offices
    • exp Rehabilitation Centers
    • exp Residential Facilities
• exp Health Care Quality, Access, and Evaluation
  • exp Delivery of Health Care
    • Health Care Reform
    • Physician's Practice Patterns
  • exp Quality Assurance, Health Care
  • exp Quality of Health Care

Subheadings

• /ec [Economics]: use with any subject for economic aspects, as well as for all aspects of financial management. Includes the raising or providing of funds (e.g. exp Back Pain/ec [Economics]).