ILOs:

• Understand basic principles of clinical testing as applied to diagnostic tests, including: accuracy; precision; sensitivity; specificity; and the concept of ‘threshold’ for further testing/treatment.
• Understand how a reference range is determined and what limitations it may have
• Be able to correctly interpret the diagnostic test results that use reference ranges
• Calculate the concentrations of analytes (calcium and albumin) in serum
• Calculate the coefficient of variation in a biochemical test
• Explain the relevance of clinical biochemistry measurements in the diagnosis of hypocalcaemia and hypercalcaemia.

Introduction

• What are the factors affecting results?
• Let's talk through Patient 1
• Let's talk through Patient 2
• What's the point of quality control in analysis?
• What factors do we need to bear in mind when we interpret results?
• What is a 'normal result'?
• What is sensitivity and specificity?
• Here's an example of diagnostic sensitivity and diagnostic specificity
• How do we decide cut-off values?
• Why's calcium important?
• A diagram showing us calcium homeostasis