Diagnostic Tests

Diagnostic Tests:: A Prescriber’s Guide to Test Selection and Interpretation is a five-part reference manual intended for all test prescribers, and written and reviewed by physicians, medical technologists, and advanced practice practitioners. Part I includes the basic information necessary to fully understand test characteristics (such as accuracy, specificity, sensitivity, precision, risks, interfering factors, and pre- and posttest probability) and an overview of selection criteria by test type. Part II covers over 300 commonly prescribed tests using bulleted information to provide an overview of the test and a guide to interpreting test results. Part III, organized by disorder, uses flowcharts to direct test selection based on probable diagnosis and disease stage. Part IV provides the basics of 12-lead-ECG test interpretation, and Part V includes key diagnostic findings in major disorders. Special features of this text include logos alerting the reader to potentially life-threatening issues and age-specific logos that indicate age-related changes in test selection and interpretation. Appendices include a quick guide to additional diagnostic tests, an illustrated guide to home testing, and a Website guide to diagnostic test information.