The laboratory technologists are discussing a new blood test that helps establish a differential diagnosis between shortness of breath with a cardiac etiology and shortness of breath with a respiratory/pulmonary etiology

Question

A positive result is purported to indicate a cardiac etiology. The marketers of the test report that 99.8% of patients who have confirmed cardiac etiologies test positive in the test. However, 1.3% of patients who do not have cardiac etiologies for their shortness of breath also test positive. Which of the following statements best characterizes this blood test?
A)
Low validity; high reliability
B)
High sensitivity; low specificity
C)
High specificity; low reliability
D)
High sensitivity; low reliability

Answer 1

Ans:
B

Feedback:

A large number of patients would receive the correct positive diagnosis (high sensitivity), while a significant number would receive a false-positive diagnosis (low specificity). The information given does not indicate low reliability or low validity.