Glossary of diagnostic terms |
||
Bandolier intends to develop a series of glossaries about terms used in diagnostic testing. These are not always intuitive or simple, and are often obtuse and complicated. So to try and make them easier, we will start to develop examples behind the definitions with hypertext links to make them easily available. The fact that these terms are used does not make them useful. We probably need better terms to describe the results of diagnostic tests. Until those are developed, we have to work with what is there.
For those who want to learn more, faster, Bandolier has a book review section you should visit. It has examined most of the helpful books around the use of evidence in healthcare. The reviews will help starters and those of us who know something, but want to know more.
Bias. This is the tendency of some (poor) study designs systematically to produce results that are better (rarely if ever worse) than those with a robust design. Bias for diagnostic tests works in different ways to bias in trials of treatment .
Reporting quality. In diagnostic testing, a number of standards for reporting quality have been set. They define those minimal features that need to be addressed in any report of a diagnostic test.
Spectrum bias . An unrecognised (but probably very real) problem is that of spectrum bias. This is the phenomenon of the sensitivity and/or specificity of a test varying with different populations tested - populations which might vary in sex ratios, age, or severity of disease as three simple examples.
|