Diagnostic Accuracy Studies in Radiology: How to Recognize and Address Potential Sources of Bias

Abstract

Accuracy is an important parameter of a diagnostic test. Studies that attempt to determine a test’s accuracy can suffer from various forms of bias. As radiology is a diagnostic specialty, many radiologists may design a diagnostic accuracy study or review one to understand how it may apply to their practice. Radiologists also frequently serve as consultants to other physicians regarding the selection of the most appropriate diagnostic exams. In these roles, understanding how to critically appraise the literature is important for all radiologists. The purpose of this review is to provide a framework for evaluating potential sources of study design biases that are found in diagnostic accuracy studies and to explain their impact on sensitivity and specificity estimates. To help the reader understand these biases, we also present examples from the radiology literature.