ROC and the bounds on tail probabilities via theorems of Dubins and F. Riesz

Citation
Clarkson, Eric et al., ROC and the bounds on tail probabilities via theorems of Dubins and F. Riesz, Annals of applied probability , 19(1), 2009, pp. 467-476
ISSN journal
10505164
Volume
19
Issue
1
Year of publication
2009
Pages
467 - 476
Database
ACNP
SICI code
Abstract
For independent X and Y in the inequality P(X.Y+.), we give sharp lower bounds for unimodal distributions having finite variance, and sharp upper bounds assuming symmetric densities bounded by a finite constant. The lower bounds depend on a result of Dubins about extreme points and the upper bounds depend on a symmetric rearrangement theorem of F. Riesz. The inequality was motivated by medical imaging: find bounds on the area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve (ROC).