Using logistic regression procedures for estimating receiver operating characteristic curves

Estimation of a receiver operating characteristic, ROC, curve is usually based either on a fully parametric model such as a normal model or on a fully nonparametric model. In this paper, we explore a semiparametric approach by assuming a density ratio model for disease and disease-free densities. This model has a natural connection with the logistic regression model. The proposed semiparametric approach is more robust than a fully parametric approach and is more efficient than a fully nonparametric approach. Two real examples demonstrate that the ROC curve estimated by our semiparametric method is much smoother than that estimated by the nonparametric method. Copyright Biometrika Trust 2003, Oxford University Press.