Observations on the Probability of Error in Medical Diagnosis

Article1 June 1962Observations on the Probability of Error in Medical DiagnosisGEORGE L. SAIGER, M.D.GEORGE L. SAIGER, M.D.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-56-6-860 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptThe purpose of this presentation is to demonstrate how the probability of a diagnostic error can be measured or controlled when population values are known. An example follows.Gertler and co-workers (1, 2) reported on the clinical aspects of coronary heart disease in 100 persons who experienced a "pure" myocardial infarction prior to age 40. The presence of myocardial infarction was established by clinical history and electrocardiogram. The sampling of these persons was not restricted to any single geographic area, and observations were made subsequent to the attacks. Concomitant studies also were performed on 146 men who showed no evidence...References1. GERTLERDRISKELLBLANDLERMANSPRAGUEWHITE MMMMEFJHBPD: Clinical aspects of coronary heart disease. An analysis of 100 cases in patients 23 to 40 years of age with myocardial infarction. J. A. M. A. 146: 1291, 1951. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. GERTLERGARNWHITE MMSMPD: Young candidates for coronary heart disease. J. A. M. A. 147: 621, 1951. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. SAIGER GL: Techniques in multivariate analysis as applied to medical data. Doctoral thesis. Columbia University, July 1955. Google Scholar4. ORVISTHOMASFAWALEVANS HHREIAJM: Serum cholesterol in normal males versus males with coronary heart disease: Differences with respect to age. Amer. J. Med. Sci. 241: 167, 1961. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. PearsonHartley ESHO Biometrika Tables for Statisticians, 2d ed., vol. I, ed. by Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England, 1958, pp. 104-110. Google Scholar6. COCHRANHOPKINS WGCE: Some classification problems with multivariate qualitative data. Biometrics 17: 10, 1961. CrossrefGoogle Scholar7. RAO CR: Advanced Statistical Methods in Biometric Research, John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1952. Google Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: GEORGE L. SAIGER, M.D.Affiliations: New York, New YorkRequests for reprints should be addressed to George L. Saiger, M.D., 1450 Palisade Avenue, Fort Lee, New Jersey. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited byThe hit and miss of ISS and TRISS. Yorkshire Trauma Audit Group.Correction: Short and long term prognosis of acute myocardial infarction since introduction of thrombolysisIOIBD report no 1: Observer variation in calculating indices of severity and activity in Crohn's disease. International Organisation for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease.Geographical Variation in Disease PresentationErythrocytenmorphologische UntersuchungsmethodenErythrocytenmorphologische UntersuchungsmethodenMeasurement and Nomenclature of Gastric Acid 1 June 1962Volume 56, Issue 6Page: 860-864KeywordsCholesterolCoronary heart diseaseElectrocardiographyGeographic areasMyocardial infarction ePublished: 1 December 2008 Issue Published: 1 June 1962 PDF downloadLoading ...