Sensitivity and specificity

Sensitivity and Specificity

HighSensitivity LowSpecificity 1401x1050

Sensitivity and specificity are fundamental metrics in evaluating the efficacy of diagnostic tests and screening tests. In the domain of binary classification, these metrics offer insights into a test's precision and trustworthiness by quantifying its capacity to accurately discern true positive and true negative outcomes.

Definitions

For a more lucid comprehension of these terms, here are the respective definitions:

• True Positive (TP): Cases rightly identified as positive (i.e., having the condition).
• True Negative (TN): Cases accurately categorized as negative (i.e., devoid of the condition).
• False Positive (FP): Cases erroneously flagged as positive (i.e., while they don't have the condition, they are diagnosed as having it).
• False Negative (FN): Cases misidentified as negative (i.e., even though they possess the condition, they are diagnosed as not having it).

Calculating Sensitivity and Specificity

• Sensitivity, often referred to as the true positive rate, is derived from the following formula:

Sensitivity = TP / (TP + FN)

Sensitivity essentially evaluates a test's competency in precisely pinpointing individuals afflicted with the condition.

• Specificity, alternatively known as the true negative rate, employs the succeeding equation:

Specificity = TN / (TN + FP)

Specificity gauges a test's adeptness in accurately isolating individuals free from the condition.

Evaluating Diagnostic and Screening Tests

For a diagnostic test or screening test to be deemed effective, it ideally should manifest elevated sensitivity and specificity levels. Nonetheless, striking a balance between these metrics can sometimes be challenging. It becomes imperative to consider the clinical landscape and the repercussions arising from false positives and false negatives when assessing a test's caliber.

See Also

• Diagnostic tests
• Screening tests
• Binary classification
• Clinical evaluation

Sensitivity and specificity Resources
Need Help Finding a Doctor? Need help finding a doctor or specialist anywhere in the world? Explore our world directory. WikiMD's DocFinder can assist you in locating millions of physicians.	Medical Knowledge Access the latest research - Most recent articles Ongoing trials.

Translate to: East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski