Diagnostics 2 (Lab and genomic) Flashcards
High diagnostic specificity
Minimal false positives
High diagnostic sensitivity
Minimal false negatives
High analytical specificity
Measures only analyte of interest
High analytical sensitivity
Capable of measuring low concentrations
Limit of detection
Smallest concentration that can be determined from zero
Limit of quantification
Smallest concentration that can be measured with acceptable precision
Precision
Repeatability of experiment expressed as coefficient of variation or std deviation
Coefficient of variation
Ratio of std deviation to the mean - low CV = high precision
Accuracy
How close the result is to the true value
Total error
Precision and accuracy both low
Spectrophotometry
Using a reaction that produces/consumes a substance absorbing uv/visible light at a certain wavelength. Degree of conductance of light is used to quantify the substance.
Advantages of photospectometry (3)
Fully automatable
Fast
Cheap
Disadvantages of photospectometry (3)
Haemolysis, lipaemia, icterus all affect
Interference
Not possible for many chemicals
Polyclonal antibodies characteristics (6)
Mixture of abs From animal serum Cheap Recognise multiple epitopes Varies between batches High affinity (multiple epitopes targeted)
Monoclonal characteristics (6)
Single ab Isolated from hybridoma cell line Expensive Single epitope targeted Little batch variability High specificity
Immunoassay - sandwich format mechanism
Sample containing analyte added to mixture with capture antibody. After incubation, excess sample washed away and signal antibody with label added. Signal strength directly proportional to amount of analyte.
Immunoassay sandwich format use
Larger molecules such as peptides or proteins
Competitive assay immunoassay use
Smaller molecules e.g. Steroids
Competitive assay immunoassay mechanism
Capture antibody starts bound to labelled molecule. Sample added and analyte displaces the labelled molecule. Wash away remains. Signal inversely proportional to amount of analyte.
Advantages of immunoassay
Often automatable
Automated assays are fast
High sensitivity
Applicable to wide range of analytes
Disadvantages of immunoassay
Cross-reactivity (antibodies bind with to multiple epitopes)
Not all are automatable
Expensive
Heterophilic antibodies ( some patients have antibodies which can bind to the receptors)
Immunohistochemistry definition
Identification of specific molecules in tissue using labelled antibodies - used in parallel with traditional histology (not a replacement)
Immunohistochemistry mechanism
Indirect immunostaining to amplify signal-
Primary antibody binds to both antigen and a secondary attached to a signal molecule e.g. peroxidase anti peroxide
Uses of immunohistochemistry
Diagnosis of primary malignant tumours esp. when poorly differentiated
Determining likely origin of metastasis
Categorising malignancies (eg leukaemia/lymphoma)
Detection of molecules with prognostic/therapeutic significance (her2 and ER)
Detection minimal disease (few tumour cells)
Used with fna (primary or mets)
Estimation of semi-quantitive proliferation