Cutoff
General Definition
A cutoff (or cut-off) is a threshold value used to divide a continuous range of data into distinct categories or to determine if a condition is met.
In Medicine and Diagnostics
A cutoff point in clinical practice refers to a specific value of a measurement beyond or below which a certain diagnosis, risk category, or treatment indication is applied.
Examples:
- Blood pressure ≥ 140/90 mmHg → Hypertension
- Fasting glucose ≥ 126 mg/dL → Diabetes Mellitus
In Statistics and Research
Cutoffs are used to distinguish between:
- Statistically significant vs. non-significant results
- Inclusion vs. exclusion criteria
Example:
- p-value < 0.05 is a common cutoff for statistical significance
In Imaging or Signal Processing
A cutoff frequency is a boundary frequency that determines the limit for signal transmission in filters (e.g., low-pass or high-pass).