high sensitivity rules out, high specificity rules in

  • related: Biostats
  • tags: #permanent #boards

SPin, SNout

  • For a high sensitive test, a negative test rules out a disease (low false negative).
  • For a high sensitive test, a positive test does not rule in (high false positive).
  • For a low sensitive test, a negative test does not necessarily rule out disease.
  • For high specificity test, a positive test rules in (low false positive)
  • For a high specificity test, a negative test does not rule out (high false negative)
  • For a low specificity test, a positive test does not rule in
  • sensitivity and specificity test refers to if patient with or without the disease and the likelihood of testing positive or negative. It does not refer to likelihood of a person with positive/negative test and having/not having a disease:
Positive TestNegative Test
High sensitivity testdoes not rule inrules out
Low sensitivity test--
High specificity testrules indoes not rule out
Low specificity test--