Publications

Development of a high accuracy low uncertainty LC/MS/MS method for the analysis of testosterone in serum certified reference materials

Testosterone levels in male and female serum are measured for a variety of reasons including the diagnosis and monitoring of health disorders. Poor quality clinical measurements can lead to misdiagnosis, incorrect prescription of medicine and false interpretation of regional and global data. 

Immunoassays used routinely by hospitals to measure testosterone levels in serum can produce inaccurate and imprecise results compared to results produced by isotope dilution gas chromatography mass spectrometry (ID/GC-MS).

However, due to their ease of use, speed and cost, and thus suitability to high throughput screening, immunoassays continue to be used. It is therefore essential that certified reference materials are generated that can be used to validate a chosen immunoassay kit and subsequent quality control.

In this poster details are given regarding the use of matrix suppression profiles to aid development of an exact matching isotope dilution liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method for the analysis of male and female testosterone levels in serum.

In addition a comparison of different calibration regimes used in quantitative liquid chromatography mass spectrometry is shown (e.g. matrix versus solvent standards, isotopic versus non-isotopic internal standardisation), illustrating the differences in accuracy and precision obtained from each technique.

To download the poster click on the related material link below.  Further information can be obtained from the NMS helpdesk at LGC.