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Biomedical subjects

Linda C van der Gaag

Publications and source records attributed to Linda C van der Gaag.

3 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Generalised reliability characteristics for probabilistic networks.

BACKGROUND: In the medical domain, establishing a diagnosis typically amounts to reasoning about the unobservable truth, based upon a set of indirect observations from diagnostic tests. A diagnostic test may not be perfectly reliable, however. To avoid misdiagnosis, therefore, the reliability characteristics of the test should be taken into account upon reasoning. OBJECTIVE: In this paper, we address the issue of modelling the reliability characteristics of diagnostic tests in a probabilistic network. METHOD: To this end, we study the mathematical foundation of a test's characteristics and collate them with the probabilities required for a probabilistic network. RESULTS: We show that the standard reliability characteristics that are generally available from the literature have to be further detailed and stratified, for example by experts, before they can be included in a network. We demonstrate these modelling issues by means of a real-life probabilistic network in oncology.

Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted↗
PubMed2003

On the use of vignettes for eliciting test-selection strategies.

Decision-support systems often include a strategy for selecting tests in their field of application. This strategy in essence captures procedural knowledge and serves to provide support for the reasoning processes involved. Generally, a test-selection strategy is offered in which tests are selected sequentially. For our field of application, we noticed that such a strategy would be an oversimplification, and decided to acquire knowledge about the actual strategy used by the experts. To this end, we composed a method that comprised an unstructured interview to gain general insight in the test-selection strategy used, and a subsequent structured interview, simulating daily practice through vignettes, to acquire full details. We used the method with two experts in our field of application and found that it closely fitted in with their daily practice and resulted in a large amount of detailed knowledge.

Decision Making↗