Uncertainty of Measurement in Medical Laboratories

Abstract

The Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement is not systematically used in medical laboratories, for what the laboratorian should understand the Uncertainty Approach and its importance to recognize the level of realism of results. This Chapter presents, discusses and recommends models fulfilling GUM principles. An example is given to a single test for an easier understanding of the determination of measurement uncertainty. All the practice uses a freeware. Results with larger measurement uncertainty intervals have a significant probability of being unrealistic arising a high risk of the uncorrected clinical decision. It is recommended a flowchart to the selection of models for the determination of measurement uncertainty in a medical laboratory.