Introduction to Evidence-Based Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.- Evidence-Based Pathology: A Stable Set of Principles for a Rapidly Evolving Specialty -- What Is Best Evidence in Pathology?- Biostatistics 101.-Prognostication and Prediction in Anatomic Pathology: Carcinoma of the Breast as an Illustrative Model -- Principles of Classification and Diagnosis in Anatomic Pathology and the Inevitability of Problem Cases.- Evaluating Oncopathological Studies: The Need to Evaluate the Internal and External Validity of Study Results.- Power Analysis and Sample Sizes in Pathology Research.- Meta-Analysis: A Statistical Method to Integrate Information Provided by Different Studies -- Decision Analysis and Decision Support Systems in Anatomic Pathology -- Evidence-Based Approach to Evaluate Information Published in the Pathology Literature and Integrate It with Personal Experience -- Evidence-Based Cell Pathology Re-visited:  A Personal View.- Development of Evidence-Based Diagnostic Criteria and Prognostic/Predictive Models: Experience at Cedars Sinai Medical Center.- Evaluation and Reduction of Diagnostic Errors in Pathology Using an Evidence-Based Approach.-  Metaanalysis 101 for Pathologists -- Evidence-Based Practices in Applied Immunohistochemistry: Dilemmas Caused by Cross-Purposes.- Evidence-Based Pathology and Laboratory Medicine in the Molecular Pathology Era: Transition of Tests from the Research Bench into Practice.- The Use of Decision Analysis Tools for the Selection of Clinical Laboratory Tests: Developing Diagnostic and Forecasting Models Using Laboratory Evidence.- Implementation and Benefits of Computerized Physician Order Entry and Evidence-Based Clinical Decision Support Systems.- Evidence-Based Pathology and Tort Law: How Do They Compare?-. Index.

Focusing on practical, patient related issues, this volume provides the basic concepts of Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) as they relate to Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and presents various practical applications. It includes EBM concepts for use in the identification of cost-effective panels of immunostains and other laboratory tests and for improvement of diagnostic accuracy based on the identification of selected diagnostic features for particular differential diagnosis. EBM concepts are also put forth for use in Meta-analysis to integrate the results of conflicting literature reports and use of novel analytical tools such as Bayesian belief networks, neural networks, multivariate statistics and decision tree analysis for the development of new diagnostic and prognostic models for the evaluation of patients. This volume will be of great value to pathologists who will benefit from the concepts being promoted by EBM, such as levels of evidence, use of Bayesian statistics to develop diagnostic and other rules and stronger reliance on "hard data" to support therapeutic and diagnostic modalities.