[Recent progress in computer-assisted laboratory diagnosis].

To assist the physician in the clinical decision making process, the CALD (computer-assisted laboratory diagnosis) system was constructed. This was serially connected with a multi-center laboratory information system for practical use. From among the examples of CALD used, a diagnostic system for the blood spectrum and peripheral hemogram was selected for the evaluation of the principle and usefulness, and for a discussion of further problems. The method of selection of suitable tests for hepatobiliary disease screening (from a normal group and 10 groups of other diseases) and its diagnostic logic and usefulness of quantitative diagnosis using a discriminant curve were then discussed. The optimal combinations were most often found to involve 1-5 tests. Near maximal diagnostic efficiency was achieved by 50-100 combinations. The diagnostic efficiency of the optimal test was higher than expected, with a range of 80-100% (92.7% on average).