Open AccessDiagnostic tests: how to estimate the positive predictive value
Author(s) -
Annette M. Molinaro
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
neuro-oncology practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.666
H-Index - 14
eISSN - 2054-2585
pISSN - 2054-2577
DOI - 10.1093/nop/npv030
Subject(s) - predictive value , test (biology) , disease , diagnostic test , value (mathematics) , medicine , psychology , statistics , pediatrics , mathematics , paleontology , biology
When a patient receives a positive test result from a diagnostic test they assume they have the disease. However, the positive predictive value (PPV), ie the probability that they have the disease given a positive test result, is rarely equal to one. To assist their patients, doctors must explain the chance that they do in fact have the disease. However, physicians frequently miscalculate the PPV as the sensitivity and/or misinterpret the PPV, which results in increased anxiety in patients and generates unnecessary tests and consultations. The reasons for this miscalculation as well as three ways to calculate the PPV are reviewed here.
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