Table 2 Methodological quality of included studies

Was the spectrum of patients clearly representative of the patients who will receive the test in practice?

Y

Y

Y

Y

Were selection criteria clearly described?

Y

Y

Y

Y

Is the reference standard likely to correctly classify the target condition?

Y

Y

Y

Y

Is the time period between reference standard and index test short enough to be reasonably sure that the target condition did not change between the two tests?

Y

Y

U

U

Did the whole sample or a random selection of the sample receive verification using a reference standard of diagnosis?

Y

Y

Y

N

Did patients receive the same reference standard regardless of the index test result?

Y

Y

Y

Y

Was the reference standard independent of the index test (i.e. the index test did not form part of the reference standard)?

Y

Y

Y

Y

Was the execution of the index test described in sufficient detail to permit replication of the test?

Y

Y

Y

Y

Was the execution of the reference standard described in sufficient detail to permit its replication?

Y

Y

Y

Y

Were the index test results interpreted without knowledge of the results of the reference standard?

Y

Y

Y

Y

Were the reference standard results interpreted without knowledge of the results of the index test?

Y

Y

U

U

Were the same clinical data available when test results were interpreted as would be available when the test is used in practice?

Y

Y

Y

Y

Were missing data on the index test handled correctly?

Y

Y

Y

Y

Were withdrawals from the study explained?

Y

Y

Y

Y