Calibration is the process of comparing measuring instruments with standards to evaluate the level of error and other technical characteristics and measurement parameters.
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In addition to the concepts of what is a calibrator and what is calibration, today MIGCO also explains some related terms to customers, such as what is calibration in testing, what is calib, and the concept and role of calibration of biochemical analyzers.
Hopefully, the detailed information about what calibration means today will provide you with a lot of useful knowledge.
What are the terms calibration and calibrator?
What is calibration?
First, to understand what calibration is, let’s find out what the English word calibration means.
What does the word calibration mean? The answer is that it is an English noun meaning adjustment.
Thus, calibration is a term referring to the process of adjustment, also known as test adjustment. Technically, this is the comparison of measured values provided by a testing device with known calibration standards.
Calibration is the establishment of clinical experiments, ensuring that analytical machines or equipment produce test results that are completely accurate and consistent with the actual values of patients.
On June 12, 2017, the Vietnamese Ministry of Health issued the 2429 criteria set to assess the quality level of medical laboratories. In this set, equipment calibration is defined as a 3-star criterion and a mandatory criterion that laboratories must implement.
The calibration results will be shown in the calibration certificate and serve as evidence of the quality control of measuring instruments.
What are the terms calibrator and calib?
What is a calibrator sample?
To perform test calibration (calibration), we need to use calibration materials or standard samples (calibrators).
A calibrator, often abbreviated as calib or standard sample, contains substances (glucose, albumin, etc.) with known concentration values and high purity.
Information about the concentration of substances in the standard sample (calibrator) will be clearly recorded in the accompanying document. The origin of calibrator samples in biochemical tests needs to be similar to samples taken from patients.
For example, if performing tests on human serum or plasma, the calibrator samples prepared for those tests should be derived from human serum.
The standard sample will be used to calibrate biochemical analyzers or other types of testing machines at the value level set by establishing a standard curve (such as a factor).
Calib samples will be used when developing a new test method, when repairing or upgrading equipment, when changing chemicals, or when using QC samples that do not meet requirements.
Note: What is a QC sample? A QC sample is a sample provided by a third party, meaning it is not created by the laboratory, not created by the equipment supplier, but created by an independent unit with a known assigned value.
What is the purpose of calibration in testing?
- Calibration in testing helps maintain the values of the standard system as well as the measuring instruments currently in use. Establishing their link with measurement standards to ensure consistency and accuracy of measurements.
- Determining the error of measuring instruments will help adjust the instruments to be suitable for measurements.
- Calibration of biochemical analyzers ensures the reliability of the measuring equipment for measurement results.
- Determining the measurement uncertainty of measuring instruments.
- Helping to detect if there is any damage or predict damage to develop a repair plan for measuring instruments in accordance with national and international quality standards.
What is calibration of biochemical analyzers and what is its role?
A biochemical analyzer is a medical device used to perform biochemical techniques or tests, checking health through various body indicators.
It is widely used in hospitals, clinics, and research centers, epidemiological centers, playing an important role in disease examination and treatment. Therefore, calibration of biochemical analyzers is a very necessary and regularly performed task.
When is calibration of biochemical analyzers needed:
- When starting to use testing equipment and implementing new tests.
- Every time a new batch of test chemicals is changed.
- After performing internal controls (quality control) that detect system errors.
- After maintaining biochemical analyzer testing equipment.
- When test chemicals are not properly stored.
Conclusion
With the above information, we hope you understand the terms related to calibration and can distinguish it from verification.
Although calibration is not completely mandatory and is voluntary, it plays an important role in equipment use, competitiveness, professional ethics, and safety for both operators and patients.
If you have any questions related to the term calibration, please leave a comment below this article.
>> Learn more: Types of standard gases used in calibration
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