Interpreting Diagnostic Tests

Thomas G. Tape, MD

University of Nebraska Medical Center

Basic Concepts

  • Introduction
  • Definition of sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value
  • How to evaluate a 2 by 2 table
  • Practice working with 2 by 2 tables
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    Understanding and Using Likelihood Ratios

  • Introduction
  • Likelihood ratios for tests with only two possible results
  • Computing likelihood ratios from sensitivity and specificity
  • Likelihood ratios for tests with more than two possible results
  • Using likelihood ratios to analyze a series of tests
    •

    ROC Curves

  • Introduction to ROC Curves
  • Plotting and interpreting an ROC curve
  • The area under an ROC curve
    •

    Measuring the effect size of an intervention