Test specificity is the ability of a diagnostic test to correctly identify those without the disease (true negative rate). It measures how well the test can distinguish between the target analyte and non-target substances.
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High specificity reduces false positives, ensuring that non-diseased individuals are not erroneously identified as diseased.
Specificity is crucial in tests where false positives could lead to unnecessary treatments or anxiety.
It is calculated as: Specificity = True Negatives / (True Negatives + False Positives).
In antibody production, high specificity ensures that antibodies bind only to the intended antigen and not to other substances.
A highly specific monoclonal antibody will produce minimal cross-reactivity with other proteins or antigens.
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Related terms
Sensitivity: The ability of a diagnostic test to correctly identify those with the disease (true positive rate).
False Positive: An incorrect test result indicating that a condition or attribute is present when it is not.
Monoclonal Antibody: Antibodies that are produced by identical immune cells and are specific to a single epitope.