Definition
Unexpected results that are not related to the primary reason for requesting a genomic test.
Use in clinical context
Incidental findings may arise as a result of genomic tests, where a broader range of genomic information is sequenced rather than a more targeted test. Incidental findings include a variant that causes a predisposition to cancer when the reason for requesting the test was to identify the cause of a child’s developmental delay. Or, if multiple family members are being tested, this may also include information about parentage (i.e. the reported father or mother is not the patient’s biological parent).
