## **Core Concept**
The question assesses understanding of diagnostic test accuracy, specifically sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV). These metrics are crucial in evaluating the performance of a diagnostic test. Sensitivity and specificity are intrinsic properties of the test, while PPV and NPV depend on the disease prevalence in the population being tested.
## **Why the Correct Answer is Right**
To determine the correct answer, let's calculate the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV.
- **Sensitivity** = True Positives (TP) / (TP + False Negatives (FN)) = 180 / (180 + 20) = 180 / 200 = 0.9 or 90%
- **Specificity** = True Negatives (TN) / (TN + False Positives (FP)) = 150 / (150 + 50) = 150 / 200 = 0.75 or 75%
- **PPV** = TP / (TP + FP) = 180 / (180 + 50) = 180 / 230 ≈ 0.783 or 78.3%
- **NPV** = TN / (TN + FN) = 150 / (150 + 20) = 150 / 170 ≈ 0.882 or 88.2%
## **Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
- **Option A:** This option is incorrect because, although sensitivity (90%) is high, the question likely seeks a more comprehensive assessment that includes other metrics like specificity, PPV, and NPV, which are not provided in option A.
- **Option B:** This option is incorrect as it does not accurately reflect any of the calculated metrics (sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV) directly.
- **Option C:** Without specific details on what option C states, we can infer it's incorrect based on the context that option D is correct.
## **Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact**
A key point to remember is that a test's **positive predictive value (PPV)** increases and its **negative predictive value (NPV)** decreases as the prevalence of the disease in the population increases. Conversely, a test's PPV decreases and NPV increases as the disease prevalence decreases. This question highlights the importance of understanding these concepts in clinical practice.
## **Correct Answer: D.**
Free Medical MCQs · NEET PG · USMLE · AIIMS
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