Do we need LOD?

From: "Stephen Duffull" <sduffull@fs1.pa.man.ac.uk> Subject: Do we need LOD? Date: Wed, 4 Aug 1999 09:07:40 +0100 Lewis wrote: >PS. Why is "limit of detection" meaningful? Is it not simply the >lowest value reliably distinguishable from zero? Doesn't >the error model cover this as part of its continuum? Limit of detection is important from a clinical (& medico-legal) view point as an arbitrary qualitative measure. It's derivation is irrelevant as long as everyone understands what it is and accepts it for what it is. From a modelling view point I agree that limit of detection as it is usually defined is not particularly meaningful or useful. But it would seem to me that we do need to know the value when signal and noise become indistinguishable (thus redefining "limit of detection"). Regards Steve ===================== Stephen Duffull School of Pharmacy University of Manchester Manchester, M13 9PL, UK Ph +44 161 275 2355 Fax +44 161 275 2396