Bayes’ rule in diagnosis

Establishing an accurate diagnosis is crucial in everyday clinical practice. It forms the starting point for decision-making, instance regarding treatment options or further testing. In this context, clinicians have to deal with probabilities (instead of certainties) that are often hard quantify. During diagnostic process, move from probability disease before testing (prior pretest probability) after (posterior posttest based on results one more tests. This reasoning reflected by a statistical theorem has important application diagnosis: Bayes' rule. A basic understanding use rule pivotal clinicians. shows how both prior (also called prevalence) and measurement properties tests (sensitivity specificity) determinants posterior (predictive value), basis which decisions made. article provides simple explanation interpretation Bayes’ diagnosis.