# subtype test

## subtype test

**This is a synonym for subsumption test.**

## subsumption test

A test to determine if a specified candidate concept or expression is a subtype descendant of another specified concept or expression.

#### Notes

* Literally speaking a *subsumption* *test* determines if one concept is *subsumed* by another.
* In the context of SNOMED CT a *concept* is *subsumed by* its supertypes and *subsumes* its subtypes. So the following terms are for all practical purposes interchangeable.

| **Uses of the terms subsumption and subsume** | **Equivalent uses of the words supertype and subtype** |
| --------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ |
| **subsumption test**                          | **subtype test**                                       |
| A **subsumes** B                              | A **is a supertype of** B                              |
| A **is subsumed by** C                        | A **is a subtype of** C                                |

#### Examples

* To answer the question "*Which patients have an infectious disease?"* involves finding all of the patients with records that include a concept or expression that is subsumed by the concept [40733004 | Infectious disease (disorder)|](http://snomed.info/id/40733004) .

## Alternatives

* **Subtype test**

##

<a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScTmbZIf0UEQwYDkY27EEWBkaiYkHSbR0_9DmFrMLXoQLyL7Q/viewform?usp=pp_url&#x26;entry.1767247133=SNOMED+Glossary&#x26;entry.670899847=subtype%20test" class="button primary">Provide Feedback</a>


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.snomed.org/snomed-international-documents/snomed-ct-glossary/s/subtype-test.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.