ABSTRACT
A wide variety of ear, nose and throat (ENT) investigations are performed in the out-patient setting, notably in the fields of audiometry, radiology and endoscopy. The increasingly ready availability of these investigations to GPs should not tempt the clinician to order tests which may be invasive, expensive or simply inappropriate. Before requesting any investigation, a clinician should be aware of its potential hazards and limitations, and above all have some idea of the possible results. It is rare for an investigation employed on a ‘shot-in-the-dark’ basis to produce a useful result; it is more likely to confuse the picture further and to arouse deep anxiety in the patient.
