Cirrhosis: Diagnostic Performance Characteristics of Non-invasive Tests - Abstract
Non-invasive tests for staging liver fibrosis have become a routine part of patient evaluation. Many can be obtained with relative ease and low cost, and they can provide objective information upon which to base future deliberations. The diagnosis of cirrhosis carries with it a variety of significant consequences, including a shortened life expectancy and the need for close monitoring. Under-diagnosis is undesirable as well, since the opportunity to intervene in early stages may be missed. When using such a test, it is important to know how reliable a result is in a particular clinical context and how the information should be used in an overall diagnostic strategy. An abundance of literature now exists that documents the diagnostic performance of individual non-invasive tests in a variety of patient groups. We present a review of these findings and discuss the use of these tests in clinical decision making.