title: Method dependence of interpretation of immunoassay results.
abstract: The interpretation of results obtained by immunoassays is affected by many different factors and especially by assay sensitivity and specificity. The introduction of sandwich-type immunometric assays using highly sensitive non-radioactive labels and monoclonal antibodies has greatly improved sensitivity while reducing assay time and simplifying performance. Thus determination of subnormal levels of several hormones has become possible. This approach has also enabled more exact tuning of specificity but at the same time it has introduced the risk of too high selectivity. Hapten assays have also become simpler to perform, but in this case no substantial improvement in assay sensitivity has been achieved.
authors.affiliation: Dept Obst Gyn, Helsinki University Central Hospital, FI.
authors.forename: U H
authors.initials: UH
authors.lastname: Stenman
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alfthan
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Turpeinen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D006728:Hormones / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010455:Peptides / Q000032:analysis; D011485:Protein Binding; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D006728:Hormones; D010455:Peptides