Likelihood ratios in diagnostic testing

In evidence-based medicine, likelihood ratios are used for assessing the value of performing a diagnostic test. They use the sensitivity and specificity of the test to determine whether a test result usefully changes the probability that a condition (such as a disease state) exists. The first description of the use of likelihood ratios for decision rules was made at a symposium on information theory in 1954. In medicine, likelihood ratios were introduced between 1975 and 1980.

This article is about the use of likelihood ratios in interpreting diagnostic tests. For a general description of the likelihood ratio, see Likelihood ratio. For the statistical test to compare goodness of fit, see Likelihood-ratio test.

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