Table 2

The QUADAS tool

Item

Yes
No
Unclear




1.
Was the spectrum of patients representative of the patients who will receive the test in practice?
( )
( )
( )
2.
Were selection criteria clearly described?
( )
( )
( )
3.
Is the reference standard likely to correctly classify the target condition?
( )
( )
( )
4.
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?
( )
( )
( )
5.
Did the whole sample or a random selection of the sample, receive verification using a reference standard of diagnosis?
( )
( )
( )
6.
Did patients receive the same reference standard regardless of the index test result?
( )
( )
( )
7.
Was the reference standard independent of the index test (i.e. the index test did not form part of the reference standard)?
( )
( )
( )
8.
Was the execution of the index test described in sufficient detail to permit replication of the test?
( )
( )
( )
9.
Was the execution of the reference standard described in sufficient detail to permit its replication?
( )
( )
( )
10.
Were the index test results interpreted without knowledge of the results of the reference standard?
( )
( )
( )
11.
Were the reference standard results interpreted without knowledge of the results of the index test?
( )
( )
( )
12.
Were the same clinical data available when test results were interpreted as would be available when the test is used in practice?
( )
( )
( )
13.
Were uninterpretable/ intermediate test results reported?
( )
( )
( )
14.
Were withdrawals from the study explained?
( )
( )
( )

Whiting et al. BMC Medical Research Methodology 2003 3:25   doi:10.1186/1471-2288-3-25