Related Experiment Videos
A computer program for rapid generation of receiver operating characteristic curves and likelihood ratios in the
T G Pellar1, F Y Leung, A R Henderson
1Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University Hospital (University of Western Ontario), London, Canada.
Abstract:
We describe a MUMPS program to facilitate the evaluation of the diagnostic effectiveness and efficiency of laboratory tests using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and likelihood ratios (LR). Test results from a population with and without a disease are stored into retrievable, editable data bases. Either single or a combination (less than or equal to 9) of different test data files can be accessed to generate tables of calculated frequency distribution, sensitivity, l-specificity and LR at variable decision thresholds. The program also calculates the area under the ROC curve, confidence intervals and SE. The selection of the optimum cut-off value is assisted by graphical plots of frequency distribution, ROC and decision level curves as illustrated by using some 'cardiac' enzyme tests.