Guidelines for Evaluating Studies About a Diagnostic Test
| Are the results of the study valid? |
| Primary guides |
| Is there an independent, blind comparison with a reference standard? |
| Does the patient sample include an appropriate spectrum of patients to whom the diagnostic test will be applied in clinical practice? |
| Secondary guides |
| Do the results of the test being evaluated influence the decision to perform the reference standard? |
| Are the methods for the performing the test described in sufficient detail to permit replication? |
| What are the results? |
| Are likelihood ratios of the test being evaluated or data necessary for their calculation provided? |
| Will the results help me in caring for my patients? |
| Will the reproducibility of the test result and its interpretation be satisfactory in my setting? |
| Are the results applicable to my patient? |
| Will the results change my management? |
| Will patients be better off as a result of the test? |