Basic Method Validation
Elsa Quam BS, MT(ASCP) -- a frequent contributor to our Basic QC series -- turns in this essay for our Method Validation series. It is crucial to know the upper and lower limits of a test's reportable range. Elsa gives a step-by-step explanation of how to prepare and calculate the experiment that determines the range, using a cholesterol example as well as two Javascript worksheet calculators. Once you're done reading, you can plug in your own data and see the results. (Preview)
You've crunched numbers, plotted and graphed -- now what do you do? Keeping in mind the inner, hidden, deeper, secret meaning of Method Validation, Dr. Westgard explains how to judge your method performance. (Preview)
Are you less frightened of statistics when we talk about them as tools? How about talking about statistics without showing you any equations? Well, that's what this lesson by Dr. Westgard does. If you can think about method validation as a job that needs a set of tools, you're ready to read this article.
The comparison of methods experiment is critical for assessing the systematic errors that occur with real patient specimens. Guidelines for performing the experiment are provided and there is an introductory discussion of how to graph the data and what statistics should be calculated.
No, this doesn't involve making clones (we'll leave that to the Scots). This article is about one of the gold standards in method comparison studies. Dr. Westgard explains what this important experiment is, how you perform and interpret it, as well as how you can use the results to improve your laboratory. A Javascript Replication Experiment calculator is included to crunch the numbers for you