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Table 4 Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values and negative predictive values of various radiographic signs in identification of different pleural effusion aetiologies in cats

From: Retrospective analysis of radiographic signs in feline pleural effusions to predict disease aetiology

Radiographic sign(s)

Final diagnosis

PPV (95% CI)

NPV (95% CI)

Sensitivity (95% CI)

Specificity (95% CI)

Enlarged heart

Neoplasia

0.05 (0.09, 0.24)

0.75 (0.62, 0.85)

0.20 (0.05, 0.72)

0.39 (0.22, 0.58)

CHF

0.90 (0.71, 0.97)

0.81 (0.60, 0.93)

0.86 (0.64, 0.97)

0.87 (0.60, 0.98)

Pyothorax

0.00

0.69 (0.58, 0.78)

0 (0.00, 0.52)

0.35 (0.19, 0.55)

Chylothorax

0.05 (0.01, 0.21)

0.88 (0.74, 0.94)

0.33 (0.08, 0.91)

0.42 (0.25, 0.61)

Mediastinal mass

Neoplasia

1.00

0.79 (0.73, 0.83)

0.25 (0.07, 0.52)

1.00 (0.92, 1.00)

CHF

0.00

0.57 (0.54, 0.60)

0.00 (0.00, 0.13)

0.89 (0.75, 0.97)

Pyothorax

0.00

0.79 (0.78, 0.80)

0.00 (0.00, 0.26)

0.92 (0.80, 0.98)

Chylothorax

0.00

0.93 (0.92, 0.93)

0.00 (0.00, 0.60)

0.93 (0.83, 0.98)

Pleural margins rounded

Neoplasia

0.15 (0.04, 0.42)

0.71 (0.65, 0.75)

0.12 (0.01, 0.36)

0.76 (0.60, 0.87)

CHF

0.31 (0.13, 0.56)

0.52 (0.46, 0.58)

0.15 (0.04, 0.34)

0.74 (0.56, 0.87)

Pyothorax

0.31 (0.14, 0.55)

0.83 (0.77, 0.88)

0.33 (0.10, 0.65)

0.82 (0.68, 0.91)

Chylothorax

0.23 (0.12, 0.40)

0.98 (0.90, 1.00)

0.75 (0.19, 0.99)

0.82 (0.70, 0.91)

Pulmonary mass

Neoplasia

1.00

0.80 (0.75, 0.84)

0.25 (0.07, 0.52)

1.00 (0.92, 1.00)

CHF

0.00

0.53 (0.50, 0.56)

0.00 (0.00, 0.13)

0.88 (0.72, 0.97)

Pyothorax

0.00

0.91 (0.91, 0.92)

0.00 (0.00, 0.60)

0.91 (0.80, 0.98)

Chylothorax

0.00

0.81 (0.80, 0.82)

0.00 (0.00, 0.26)

0.93 (0.82, 0.98)

Pulmonary nodules

Neoplasia

0.50 (0.13, 0.87)

0.76 (0.72, 0.80)

0.13 (0.02, 0.38)

0.95 (0.85, 0.99)

CHF

0.00

0.53 (0.50, 0.56)

0.00 (0.00, 0.13)

0.88 (0.72, 0.97)

Pyothorax

0.25 (0.04, 0.75)

0.80 (0.77, 0.83)

0.08 (0.21, 0.38)

0.94 (0.82, 0.99)

Chylothorax

0.25 (0.04, 0.72)

0.95 (0.91, 0.97)

0.25 (0.63, 0.81)

0.95 (0.85, 0.99)

Caudal pulmonary artery

Neoplasia

0.05 (0.09, 0.26)

0.72 (0.63, 0.80)

0.13 (0.03, 0.53)

0.50 (0.33, 0.67)

CHF

0.68 (0.5, 0.82)

0.68 (0.54, 0.79)

0.62 (0.38, 0.82)

0.74 (0.52, 0.90)

Pyothorax

0.26 (0.15, 0.43)

0.80 (0.67, 0.89)

0.50 (0.19, 0.81)

0.59 (0.41, 0.75)

Chylothorax

0.00

0.88 (0.85, 0.91)

0.00 (0.00, 0.71)

0.54 (0.37, 0.69)

Caudal pulmonary vein

Neoplasia

0.06 (0.01, 0.30)

0.73 (0.65, 0.80)

0.13 (0.00, 0.53)

0.56 (0.38, 0.73)

CHF

0.69 (0.48, 0.84)

0.65 (0.53, 0.76)

0.55 (0.32, 0.77)

0.77 (0.55, 0.92)

Pyothorax

0.25 (0.12, 0.44)

0.81 (0.43, 0.74)

0.44 (0.14, 0.79)

0.64 (0.45, 0.80)

Chylothorax

0.00

0.88 (0.86, 0.91)

0.00 (0.00, 0.71)

0.59 (0.42, 0.74)

Alveolar pattern

Neoplasia

0.18 (0.10, 0.29)

0.64 (0.50, 0.76)

0.40 (0.16, 0.68)

0.36 (0.23, 0.52)

CHF

0.41 (0.31, 0.52)

0.48 (0.33, 0.63)

0.54 (0.33, 0.73)

0.35 (0.19, 0.55)

Pyothorax

0.32 (0.25, 0.40)

0.96 (0.78, 0.99)

0.92 (0.62, 1.00)

0.51 (0.36, 0.66)

Chylothorax

0.09 (0.5, 0.15)

0.96 (0.81, 0.99)

0.75 (0.19, 0.99)

0.44 (0.30, 0.58)

Bronchial pattern

Neoplasia

0.25 (0.09, 0.52)

0.74 (0.68, 0.80)

0.20 (0.04, 0.48)

0.80 (0.65, 0.90)

CHF

0.33 (0.14, 0.60)

0.53 (0.47, 0.59)

0.15 (0.04, 0.35)

0.76 (0.58, 0.89)

Pyothorax

0.33 (0.15, 0.58)

0.83 (0.76, 0.88)

0.33 (0.10, 0.65)

0.83 (0.69, 0.92)

Chylothorax

0.00

0.91 (0.90, 0.93)

0.00 (0.00, 0.60)

0.78 (0.65, 0.88)

Interstitial pattern

Neoplasia

0.20 (0.13, 0.29)

0.63 (0.45, 0.78)

0.53 (0.27, 0.79)

0.27 (0.15, 0.43)

CHF

0.48 (0.39, 0.56)

0.63 (0.44, 0.79)

0.73 (0.52, 0.88)

0.36 (20.4, 0.55)

Pyothorax

0.23 (0.16, 0.30)

0.84 (0.65, 0.94)

0.75 (0.43, 0.95)

0.34 (0.21, 0.49)

Chylothorax

0.08 (0.04, 0.13)

0.95 (0.76, 0.99)

0.75 (0.19, 0.99)

0.33 (0.21, 0.47)

  1. PPV positive predictive values, NPV negative predictive values, CHF congestive heart failure, PV pulmonary vein, PA pulmonary artery