ESTIMATING DIAGNOSTIC-ACCURACY FROM MULTIPLE CONFLICTING REPORTS - A NEW METAANALYTIC METHOD

Reports of diagnostic accuracy often differ. The authors present a met hod to summarize disparate reports that uses a logistic transformation and linear regression to produce a summary receiver operating charact eristic curve. The curve is useful for summarizing a body of diagnosti c accuracy literature, comparing technologies, detecting outliers, and finding the optimum operating point of the test. Examples from clinic al chemistry and diagnostic radiology are provided. By extending the l ogic of meta-analysis to diagnostic testing, the method provides a new tool for technology assessment.