DIAGNOSTIC TESTING
CARDIAC STRESS TESTS
Out of 1,000 asymptomatic people who get a screening stress test, approximately 19, as represented by the blackened seats, will have cardiac problems found that, when treated, averts serious cardiac problems.
Out of 1,000 asymptomatic people who get a screening stress test, approximately 20 people without heart disease, represented by the blackened seats, will suffer serious harm due to false postive tests that lead to unnecessary tests and treatments.
Out of 1,000 people who present to the hospital with a heart attack or sudden cardiac death, approximately 650 of them, represented by the blackened seats, will have had a normal stress test. Stress tests are typically normal even in people who develop serious heart problems.
MRI AND BACK PAIN
Out of 1,000 elderly people without any back pain, approximately 900 of them, represented by the blackened seats, will have an abnormal back MRI
Out of 1,000 people with back pain who do not have a history of cancer, approximately none of them will have improvement in symptoms or important information discovered by MRI done in the first 3 months of pain.
Out of 1,000 people with back pain, approximately 730 of them, represented by the blackened seats, will improve completely within 3 months without any testing or treatment.