title: Principles of screening.
abstract: Over the past several decades, the principles by which screening tests are performed have slowly been developed and refined. The key distinction for the clinician to understand is the difference between diagnostic tests, which give a definitive answer, and screening tests, which identify who among the low-risk population is at high risk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Fetal Therapy Program, MCP Hahnemann University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Krivchenia
mesh_terms: D005820:Genetic Testing; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity