Uncertainty of measurement

[NAN47]

Hi 

 

would like to know how labs calculate uncertainty of measurement for quantitative methods ie fbc, coagulation tests, and how they calculate network uncertainty across their shared sites. 

 

Thanks! 

[SMILLER]

Not sure exactly what you are asking here, I am a bit unfamiliar with your terms.  The precision of a particular test is usually indicated by the manufacturer.  It can be estimated by looking at the variance at certain levels.  Control results can be used for this and also used to roughly compare methods from site to site.

A more common way to compare different analyzers within the same system is to do a correlation with patient samples.  Also, when a test is first set up, a patient normal range should have been established.   If  you are using different analyzers at different sites, you may have to use different normal ranges.

Hope that helps.  You should be able to get more information form your vendor's technical specialist.

Scott

[Auntie-D]

Have a look on the Westguard Rules website

https://www.westgard.com/clsi-c51.htm

This is a good resource on it

http://www.eurolab.org/documents/EL_11_01_06_387%20Technical%20report%20-%20Guide%20Measurement%20uncertainty.pdf

And a 2012 paper here

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3387884/