The basic statistical concepts and their interrelationships in diagnostic research

Many medical postgraduate students exhibit a lack of clarity in their understanding of relevant statistical concepts during the conduct of diagnostic studies. This article, grounded in research practice, delves into the role of understanding statistical concepts in diagnostic research. It includes an exploration of sensitivity, specificity, types of statistical errors, and their interrelationships, as well as a discussion on statistical power-an often-overlooked but crucial concept in research. The article elucidates these important concepts with specific examples and illustrations, and addresses an issue of inconsistency related to the receiver operating characteristic curve in research practice. By drawing analogies between basic concepts in diagnostic tests and concepts in statistics, this article helps to enhance researchers' abilities in designing and interpreting clinical diagnostic studies, thereby improving the quality of clinical diagnostic research.