Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

What you need to know about statistics Part I: validity of diagnostic and screening tests

  • Research Forum
  • Published:
Pediatric Radiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The intent of this manuscript is to provide guidance and support to clinicians and investigators for reporting the results of screening and diagnostic tests. This article is the first of two parts addressing statistics in imaging research. In this part validity measures are discussed. In part II reliability measures will be discussed. In discussing validity, the following concepts will be introduced: (1) functions of diagnostic tests, (2) statistical characteristics of diagnostic tests and application of validity measures, (3) power and sample size for testing the sensitivity and specificity of the diagnostic test, (4) statistical versus clinical significance and (5) characteristics of a useful diagnostic test.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Wald N, Cuckle H (1989) Reporting the assessment of screening and diagnostic tests. Br J Obstet Gynaecol 4:389–396

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Lang TA, Secic M (1997) How to report statistics in medicine. BMJ Publishing Group, Philadelphia

    Google Scholar 

  3. Haynes RB (1981) How to read clinical journals: II. To learn about a diagnostic test. Can Med Assoc J 124:703–710

    Google Scholar 

  4. Zhang J (2012) Making diagnoses with multiple tests under no gold standard. PhD diss., University of Iowa. http://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/3025. Accessed 3 Jan 2014

  5. Trochim W, Donnelly JP (2007) The research methods knowledge base. Cengage Learning-Atomic Dog Publishing, Mason

    Google Scholar 

  6. Li J, Fine J (2004) On sample size for sensitivity and specificity in prospective diagnostic accuracy studies. Stat Med 23:2537–2550

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Hintze J (2011) PASS 11. NCSS Inc., Kaysville, UT. http://www.ncss.com. Accessed 3 Dec 2012

  8. Reid MC, Lachs MS, Feinstein AR (1995) Use of methodological standards in diagnostic test research. JAMA 274:645–651

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Pezzullo JC (2012) Web pages that perform statistical calculations! http://statpages.org. Accessed 27 Nov 2012

  10. Altman DG (1990) Practical statistics for medical research. Chapman and Hall, London

    Google Scholar 

  11. Sardanelli F, Giovanni DL (2009) Biostatistics for radiologists: planning, performing, and writing a radiologic study. Springer, Milan

    Book  Google Scholar 

Download references

Conflicts of interest

None

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Research Center of Michigan, Pediatric Prevention Research Unit, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 3901 Beaubien Blvd., Detroit, MI, 48201, USA

    Ronald L. Thomas & Marwan A. Zidan

  2. Department of Pediatric Radiology, Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA

    Thomas L. Slovis

Authors
  1. Ronald L. Thomas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Marwan A. Zidan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Thomas L. Slovis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ronald L. Thomas.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Thomas, R.L., Zidan, M.A. & Slovis, T.L. What you need to know about statistics Part I: validity of diagnostic and screening tests. Pediatr Radiol 45, 146–152 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-014-2882-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-014-2882-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation