A guide to conducting systematic reviews of test accuracy. In “Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Diagnostic Test Accuracy”, a team of distinguished researchers deliver the official guide to preparing and maintaining systematic reviews of test accuracy in healthcare. This first edition of the Handbook contains guidance on understanding test accuracy measures, search strategies and study selection, understanding meta-analysis and risk of bias and applicability assessments, presentation of findings, and drawing conclusions. Readers will also find: • An introduction to test evaluation, including the purposes of medical testing, test accuracy and the impact of tests on patient outcomes • Comprehensive explorations of the design of test accuracy studies, including discussions of reference standards and comparative test accuracy studies • Considerations of the methods and presentation of systematic reviews of test accuracy • Elaboration of study selection, data collection, and undertaking risk of bias and applicability assessments Perfect for medical practitioners and clinicians, “Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Diagnostic Test Accuracy” will also benefit professionals in epidemiology and students in related fields.
