What’s New in Diagnostics? 5 Trends Changing the Way We Detect and Treat Disease 

At careviso, we’re committed to breaking down barriers in healthcare. We strive to make it easier for patients to understand their care and for providers to deliver it. Diagnostics are a critical part of that picture, and they’re evolving quickly.  

From AI-powered tools to unexpected benefits of prenatal testing, here’s some trends that we’re seeing shape healthcare today.  

1. AI is Helping Doctors Make Faster, Smarter Diagnoses

Artificial intelligence is now being used to help review lab tests and imaging more efficiently and with greater accuracy. These tools act as decision support, flagging potential health issues so that doctors can initiate treatment sooner. In labs, automation reduces delays and minimizes errors in routine processes like blood work and imaging analysis.

For patients, this translates into faster results and clearer answers. For providers, it’s an opportunity to streamline care.

2. Prenatal Tests are Revealing More than the Baby’s Health

Prenatal blood tests (often called cell-free DNA or cfDNA tests) are commonly used to screen for conditions such as Down syndrome. Recently, research has uncovered something unexpected: these tests can sometimes detect signs of cancer in the pregnant person.

In a recent NIH-backed study, about 49% of pregnant people with unusual prenatal test results were later found to have undiagnosed cancers, including breast, colon, and pancreatic cancer. This has sparked the NIH’s IDENTIFY Study, a long-term research effort exploring how early cancer detection could become a standard part of prenatal care.

3. Digital Pathology is Making Specialist Insights More Accessible

Traditionally, pathologists examined tissue samples under a microscope. Now, with digital pathology, those samples can be scanned and analyzed on a screen, making it faster to share, review, and diagnose. It also opens the door for AI to assist in identifying unusual cells or patterns, which supports earlier and more accurate diagnosis.

For patients, this could mean faster turnaround times and fewer delays. For labs, it’s a scalable solution to growing diagnostic demand.

4. At-Home Tests are Becoming More Capable and Convenient

Lateral flow tests (LFTs), those small strip-based tests used to test for COVID-19, are now being developed to detect a wide range of conditions. New versions are being explored to help detect infections, vitamin deficiencies, and even neurological issues like stroke.

Their speed and simplicity make diagnostics more accessible, especially for people in remote areas or without easy access to in-person care.

5. Diagnostics are Key to Fighting Antibiotic Resistance

Accurate testing plays a major role in making sure antibiotics are used only when necessary. When doctors know exactly what’s causing an infection, they can prescribe the right medication and avoid overuse.

This is critical in preventing antibiotic-resistant bacteria from developing, which is a growing global health threat.

The Takeaway: Diagnostics are Evolving for the Better

At careviso, we work to simplify the path from diagnosis to treatment by making medical coverage, costs, and administrative requirements easier to understand. The trends we’re seeing in diagnostics are exciting because they help support exactly that: faster care, better insights, and a clearer journey for everyone involved.

Whether you're a patient wondering what’s next or a provider trying to stay ahead, these changes are all about getting people the care they need more accurately, and with fewer delays.