Which of the following properties of a test refers to its ability to correctly rule out a diagnosis?

[bluemoon 43]

Which of the following properties of a test refers to its ability to correctly rule out a diagnosis?

A.

Positive predictive value

B.

Specificity

C.

Negative predictive value

D.

Sensitivity

E.

Precision

[mananiso 17]

B

[far from MRCPsych 16]

B

[bluemoon 43]

agreed

[Afterlife 284]

I think it is Sensitivity

Just remember from SNOUT and SPIN

Sn = Sensitivity Negative test rules out Disease Sn-Nout

Sp = Specificity - Positive test rules in diagnosis Sp-Pin

Please double check from Doctor's Guide to critical appraisal.

Edited December 13, 2012 by Afterlife

[far from MRCPsych 16]

I now think it is sensitivity -

Sensitivity is true positive (+ve with disease) which can only be identified if a negative test eliminates everyone without the disease from the equation

Specificity is true negative (-ve with disease) which can only be identified if a positive test excludes everyone with disease from the equation.

I came across this useful information,

Sensitivity:

If a person has a disease, how often will the test be positive (true positive rate)?

Put another way, if the test is highly sensitive and the test result is negative you can be nearly certain that they don’t have disease.

A Sensitive test helps rule out disease (when the result is negative). Sensitivity rule out or "Snout"

Sensitivity= true positives/(true positive + false negative)

Specificity:

If a person does not have the disease how often will the test be negative (true negative rate)?

In other terms, if the test result for a highly specific test is positive you can be nearly certain that they actually have the disease.

A very specific test rules in disease with a high degree of confidence Specificity rule in or "Spin".

Specificity=true negatives/(true negative + false positives)

Predictive value for a positive result (PV+):

PV+ asks " If the test result is positive what is the probability that the patient actually has the disease?"

PV+= true positive/(true positive + false positive)

Predictive value for a negative result (PV-):

PV- aks " If f the test result is negative what is the probability that the patient does not have disease?"

PV-= true negatives/(true negatives +false negatives)