Probabilities (General)

by David Turell , Friday, April 18, 2014, 16:05 (3659 days ago) @ romansh

Romansh; My point is if someone comes back with a positive result and there is a positive false positive to that test. The test itself looses much if not all its meaning if you don't know how to interpret the data.-I understand that. But 99% of the lab data had known ranges of normal, with other ancillary tests available to follow up on some abnormal result. As an internist, one never relies one one thing. My point is you are bringing up a theoretical problem that can be a real problem in rare cases. I had a patient with a lump on a testicle. Local pathologists were not sure about the biopsy interpretation. It went to the NIH and came back definite carcinoma. Off came the testis. That I remember this case from at least 40 years ago attests to how rare such a situation was. I can think of othr rarities like this from my practice, but there are many ways to reach a definitive diagnosis. A careful history and physical exam will usually get you to the 90% level.