Rational use of diagnostic and screening tests

Veterinarians have a vast and ever‐expanding array of diagnostic tests available to them. However, this abundance can be an embarrassment of riches that confounds diagnosis and undermines patient care if we do not make critical and informed decisions about the selection and interpretation of the tes...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of small animal practice Vol. 62; no. 11; pp. 1016 - 1021
Main Author McKenzie, B. A.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.11.2021
Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
Subjects
Bayesian analysis
Cognitive ability
Diagnostic tests
Patients
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Summary:Veterinarians have a vast and ever‐expanding array of diagnostic tests available to them. However, this abundance can be an embarrassment of riches that confounds diagnosis and undermines patient care if we do not make critical and informed decisions about the selection and interpretation of the tests we employ. Effective use of diagnostic tests requires a deliberate and informed approach. We must consider the strengths and weaknesses of the tests themselves and the clinical context, and we must be wary of the many biases that skew our use and interpretation of diagnostic tests. Understanding sensitivity and specificity, likelihood, prevalence and predictive value, the basic principles of Bayesian reasoning, and the cognitive biases that drive inappropriate testing are all critical to ensuring our use of imaging and laboratory testing improves patient outcomes.
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ISSN:0022-4510
1748-5827
DOI:10.1111/jsap.13393