The specificity of a diagnostic test is defined as the ability to correctly identify healthy subjects, or those not affected by the disease or condition that we intend to identify. If a test has an "excellent specificity, then the risk of false positives is low, that is, of subjects who, despite having anomalous values, are not affected by the pathology being researched."
HIGH SPECIFICITY = high probability that a healthy subject will test negative; = low probability that a healthy subject will test positive;
Sensitivity of a diagnostic test is defined as the ability to correctly identify sick subjects, or those affected by the disease or condition that we intend to identify. If a test has an excellent sensitivity, then the risk of false negatives is low, that is, of subjects who, despite having normal values, are still affected by the pathology or condition that is being sought.
HIGH SENSITIVITY = high probability that a sick subject will test positive; = low probability that a sick subject will test negative.
