Prospective Diagnostic Accuracy Study

A prospective diagnostic accuracy study enrolls participants before any test results are known and follows them forward in time to evaluate how well an index test (the test under evaluation) distinguishes individuals with and without a target condition, using a reference standard applied independently. Key accuracy metrics include sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and the area under the ROC curve. The prospective design reduces many biases inherent in retrospective test evaluations.