discriminant function 3-7
for combination testing 3-6
for repeat testing 3-5
Postanalytic variability
definition 1-6
sources of 1-6
Precision
definition 2-5
Predictive value
definition 3-4
Pregnancy
source of biologic variability 6-5
Preanalytic variability
definition 1-5
sources of 1-5
Prenatal detection of genetic disease
fetal cells 10-15
maternal blood 10-14
Prevalence
definition 3-4
effect on diagnostic study performance 3-4
Prior probability
imprecision 3-12
in Bayes’ formula 3-8
Prognostic study performance
comparing prognostic study performance 3-19
efficiency 3-17
fraction correctly classified 3-16, 11-16
ROC curve 3-16
Prostate cancer
natural history 11-7
monitoring therapy 11-17
screening for 11-7
Prostate specific antigen
as a cancer marker 11-6, 11-12
as a screening study for prostate cancer 11-7
monitoring therapy of prostate cancer 11-17
PSA density 11-11
PSA velocity 11-11
Posterior probability
imprecision 3-12
in Bayes’ formula 3-9
Q
Quality assurance program
external quality control 2-13
internal quality control 2-9
R
Race
definition 6-5
constructing reference frequency distributions 6-6
geographic races of man 6-5
race-based variability 6-5
Recovery
evaluating method trueness 2-18
Red cell transfusion
see
Transfusion
Reference frequency distribution
constructing
basic approach 1-7
given continuous heterogeneity 6-3
given discrete heterogeneity 6-1
steps in establishing 1-7
Reference materials
primary reference materials 2-6
secondary reference materials 2-6
Reference method
definition 1-7, 2-6
in evaluation of classification studies 4-1
Reference range
definition 1-9
Regression analysis
constructing a calibration curve 2-2
in method comparisons 2-24
Repeat testing
classification correlation 3-6
diagnostic study performance 3-5
positivity rules 3-5
Resolving power
definition 2-6
evaluating 2-22
minimum distinguishable difference 2-6
Result correlation
accounting for when using Bayes’ formula 3-11
definition 3-11
Rh blood group
antibodies 9-10
typing 9-10
Rheumatoid factors
in systemic autoimmune disease 9-7
ROC curve
area under ROC curve
comparing diagnostic study performance 3-14
comparing prognostic study performance 3-19
characterizing diagnostic study performance 3-2
characterizing prognostic study performance 3-17
construction from frequency distributions 3-2
definition 3-2
evaluation of classification studies 4-6
S
Sampling bias
in evaluation of classification studies 4-4
Scatterplot
nonparametric scatterplot smoothing 6-3
slicing 6-3
Screening
for cancer
prostate cancer 11-7
Index
8
