Sensitivity and specificity are measures of a test's ability to correctly classify a person as having a disease or not having a disease. Sensitivity refers to a test's ability to designate an individual with disease as positive.The specificity of a test is its ability to designate an individual who does not have a disease as negative.
The sensitivity and specificity of a test often vary with disease prevalence; this effect is likely to be the result of mechanisms, such as patient spectrum, that affect prevalence, sensitivity and specificity. Because it may be difficult to identify such mechanisms, clinicians should use prevalence as a guide when selecting studies that most closely match their situation.
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