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Principles of screening

University of Leeds, Leeds Screening Centre, Gemini Park, Sheepscar Way, Leeds, LS7 3JB, UK. email: h.s.cuckle{at}leeds.ac.uk (corresponding author).

Obstetricians and gynaecologists are involved in a wide spectrum of screening activities. These can lead to prenatal diagnosis of congenital abnormalities and treatment of gynaecological diseases at earlier, more tractable stages. This article introduces the principles behind the design of screening tests and explains commonly used specialist terminology. Many factors may influence the results of screening studies so care must be taken in their interpretation. For example, the type of test(s) used, characteristics of the population studied, length of follow-up and various sources of bias or confounding variables may affect interpretation of results. The decision to use a particular screening test must be based on careful evaluation of its potential advantages and disadvantages, in both human and financial terms, and its suitability for its intended use.

Keywords Keywords / diagnosis / discriminatory power / predictive value / prevention / screening