Biomaterial Database

[Evaluation of the diagnostic value of a test. Main information indices]. 1995

P Landais, and C Besson, and J P Jais

Laboratoire de Biostatistique et d'Informatique médicale, Hôpital Necker, Paris.

Evaluating a new diagnostic test is an essential step required before using a new examination technique. The information concerning the disease provided by the test must be examined in terms of diagnostic value and cost. A test can be evaluated using several indexes. For tests giving binary results, the main information indexes were defined and the calculation of the index was illustrated by an example. The sensitivity, specificity, the Youden index, and the positive and negative predictive values were presented together with the likelihood and odds-ratio. For tests giving quantitative results, the analysis of the ROC curves was discussed. Indexes were interpreted in terms of disease prevalence, the modalities (diagnosis, screening) for applying the test, the sampling technique for the tested population, the gain in diagnosis, and cost of the examination.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008433	Mathematics	The deductive study of shape, quantity, and dependence. (From McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6th ed)	Mathematic
D008722	Methods	A series of steps taken in order to conduct research.	Techniques,Methodological Studies,Methodological Study,Procedures,Studies, Methodological,Study, Methodological,Method,Procedure,Technique
D011237	Predictive Value of Tests	In screening and diagnostic tests, the probability that a person with a positive test is a true positive (i.e., has the disease), is referred to as the predictive value of a positive test; whereas, the predictive value of a negative test is the probability that the person with a negative test does not have the disease. Predictive value is related to the sensitivity and specificity of the test.	Negative Predictive Value,Positive Predictive Value,Predictive Value Of Test,Predictive Values Of Tests,Negative Predictive Values,Positive Predictive Values,Predictive Value, Negative,Predictive Value, Positive
D003933	Diagnosis	The determination of the nature of a disease or condition, or the distinguishing of one disease or condition from another. Assessment may be made through physical examination, laboratory tests, or the likes. Computerized programs may be used to enhance the decision-making process.	Diagnose,Diagnoses and Examination,Antemortem Diagnosis,Diagnoses and Examinations,Examinations and Diagnoses,Postmortem Diagnosis,Antemortem Diagnoses,Diagnoses,Diagnoses, Antemortem,Diagnoses, Postmortem,Diagnosis, Antemortem,Diagnosis, Postmortem,Examination and Diagnoses,Postmortem Diagnoses
D003952	Diagnostic Imaging	Any visual display of structural or functional patterns of organs or tissues for diagnostic evaluation. It includes measuring physiologic and metabolic responses to physical and chemical stimuli, as well as ultramicroscopy.	Imaging, Diagnostic,Imaging, Medical,Medical Imaging
D003955	Diagnostic Tests, Routine	Diagnostic procedures, such as laboratory tests and x-rays, routinely performed on all individuals or specified categories of individuals in a specified situation, e.g., patients being admitted to the hospital. These include routine tests administered to neonates.	Admission Tests, Routine,Hospital Admission Tests,Physical Examination, Preadmission,Routine Diagnostic Tests,Admission Tests, Hospital,Diagnostic Test, Routine,Diagnostic Tests,Examination, Preadmission Physical,Preadmission Physical Examination,Routine Diagnostic Test,Test, Routine Diagnostic,Tests, Diagnostic,Tests, Hospital Admission,Tests, Routine Diagnostic,Admission Test, Hospital,Admission Test, Routine,Diagnostic Test,Examinations, Preadmission Physical,Hospital Admission Test,Physical Examinations, Preadmission,Preadmission Physical Examinations,Routine Admission Test,Routine Admission Tests,Test, Diagnostic,Test, Hospital Admission,Test, Routine Admission,Tests, Routine Admission
D005069	Evaluation Studies as Topic	Works about studies that determine the effectiveness or value of processes, personnel, and equipment, or the material on conducting such studies.	Critique,Evaluation Indexes,Evaluation Methodology,Evaluation Report,Evaluation Research,Methodology, Evaluation,Pre-Post Tests,Qualitative Evaluation,Quantitative Evaluation,Theoretical Effectiveness,Use-Effectiveness,Critiques,Effectiveness, Theoretical,Evaluation Methodologies,Evaluation Reports,Evaluation, Qualitative,Evaluation, Quantitative,Evaluations, Qualitative,Evaluations, Quantitative,Indexes, Evaluation,Methodologies, Evaluation,Pre Post Tests,Pre-Post Test,Qualitative Evaluations,Quantitative Evaluations,Report, Evaluation,Reports, Evaluation,Research, Evaluation,Test, Pre-Post,Tests, Pre-Post,Use Effectiveness
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012372	ROC Curve	A graphic means for assessing the ability of a screening test to discriminate between healthy and diseased persons; may also be used in other studies, e.g., distinguishing stimuli responses as to a faint stimuli or nonstimuli.	ROC Analysis,Receiver Operating Characteristic,Analysis, ROC,Analyses, ROC,Characteristic, Receiver Operating,Characteristics, Receiver Operating,Curve, ROC,Curves, ROC,ROC Analyses,ROC Curves,Receiver Operating Characteristics
D012680	Sensitivity and Specificity	Binary classification measures to assess test results. Sensitivity or recall rate is the proportion of true positives. Specificity is the probability of correctly determining the absence of a condition. (From Last, Dictionary of Epidemiology, 2d ed)	Specificity,Sensitivity,Specificity and Sensitivity