What is a false-negative test result?

A false-negative test result is one that does not detect what is being tested even though it is present. A false-negative test result may thus suggest that a person does not have a disease or condition being tested for when in fact he or she does.

For example, a false-negative pregnancy test result would be one that does not detect the substance (human chorionic gonadotropin) that would confirm pregnancy, when in reality the woman is pregnant.

A false negative test result is one that fails to note a condition that really does exist. The consequences are clear. You could have a serious condition that goes untreated. An example would be a mammogram that fails to detect cancerous tumors.

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