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Glossary Sensitivity and Specificity

This document defines and explains the concepts of sensitivity, specificity, predictive value of a positive result, and predictive value of a negative result in medical testing. Sensitivity refers to the true positive rate of a test, or how often a test correctly identifies those with the disease. Specificity refers to the true negative rate of a test, or how often a test correctly identifies those without the disease. Predictive values refer to the probability that a patient actually has or does not have the disease given a positive or negative test result.

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Jing Cruz
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17 views

Glossary Sensitivity and Specificity

This document defines and explains the concepts of sensitivity, specificity, predictive value of a positive result, and predictive value of a negative result in medical testing. Sensitivity refers to the true positive rate of a test, or how often a test correctly identifies those with the disease. Specificity refers to the true negative rate of a test, or how often a test correctly identifies those without the disease. Predictive values refer to the probability that a patient actually has or does not have the disease given a positive or negative test result.

Uploaded by

Jing Cruz
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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12/7/2015 Sensitivity and Specificity

 
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) 
 

https://www.med.emory.edu/EMAC/curriculum/diagnosis/sensand.htm 1/1

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