Diagnostic Test Accuracy (DTA) Systematic Review – Training
Presented by the Agriculture, Food, and Nutrition Evidence Center
August 19-21, 2025
Fort Worth, TX
This course focuses on the systematic review process for critically appraising and synthesizing data from test accuracy studies. Test accuracy studies evaluate how well a test can distinguish between individuals with and without a specific condition. A systematic review is an effective method to summarize evidence on the clinical accuracy of such tests.
Participants are introduced to key concepts, including sensitivity and specificity, and guided through the process of conducting a high-quality systematic review.
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will be able to do the following for systematic reviews of diagnostic test accuracy studies:
- Understand the different objectives and designs
- Identify and assess risk of bias and concerns regarding applicability
- Understand core concepts underpinning meta-analytic approaches for evidence synthesis
- Perform meta-analyses
- Interpret systematic review findings
Training Audience
Researchers, clinicians, epidemiologists, policymakers, students that conduct or use evidence synthesis research.
Experience in systematic review, diagnostic test accuracy, or statistical methods is not required.
About the Trainers
Yemisi Takwoingi, PhD
Professor of Test Evaluation and Evidence Synthesis and Head of Department of Applied Health Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK
Dr. Yemisi Takwoingi is a distinguished biostatistician and methodologist, contributing to research awards that span early phase evaluation of diagnostics through to clinical studies and evidence synthesis to inform guideline development across a range of clinical fields.
She co-convenes the Cochrane Screening and Diagnostic Tests Methods Group, serves as a member of the Cochrane Editorial Board, and is an editor of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Diagnostic Test Accuracy.
Additionally, Dr. Takwoingi is the Capacity Development Lead for the National Institute for Health and Care Research West Midlands Evidence Synthesis Group and the Warwick-Birmingham Evidence Synthesis Group.
Jacqueline Dinnes, PhD, MSc, MA, PGDip
Senior Research Fellow, Department of Applied Health Sciences, University of Birmingham
Dr. Jacqueline Dinnes is a Senior Research Fellow at the Department of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Birmingham. She is a methodologist with a long-standing interest in the evaluation of diagnostic tests, maintaining a substantial portfolio of systematic reviews and publications from methodological projects.
Dr. Dinnes is an Editor for Cochrane Diagnostic Test Accuracy Reviews of the Cochrane Library and co-authored two chapters of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Diagnostic Test Accuracy.
Additionally, she is a senior member of the National Institute for Health and Care Research West Midlands Evidence Synthesis Group and the Warwick-Birmingham Screening Evidence Synthesis Group.
To request training curated to you or your team’s needs, connect with us.
