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Clinical laboratory test results are a very important parameter in diagnosis, monitoring and screening. 70-80 % of decisions in diagnosis are based on laboratory results and more and more laboratory analyses are requested. Thus a lot of data are provided and it is therefore imperative for patient care (and safety) that the clinicians are familiar with the tests and with interpretation of the results. The laboratory result must be interpreted on the background of a reference interval that is used to distinguish between "health" and "disease". The clinician must also evaluate the result from the knowledge of biological variation and be aware of the potential risk of false interpretation. Likewise, influence of random errors and systematic errors on the result is of importance as well as the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. First of all the clinician must use the laboratory results in the right context, but it is also of outmost importance that the clinician understands what is behind the test result with regard to statistical probability, random and systematic errors, etc. The laboratory has certainly also a role and a responsibility in providing clinicians with adequate information that can assist them in the correct interpretation of the data. A short overview of some of the most important concepts is given here. |
