Investigation of the effect of data error in the analysis of biological tracer data

Data obtained from tracer studies often consist of serial measurements after administration of radioisotope. Very little work has been published on how the error in the data affects the mathematical analysis. Computer simulation was here employed to produce data with error of different magnitude and form for each of several values of rate constant and amplitude. The data were terminated when the value of the last point was 5% of the value of the first point, and also in other ways arranged to simulate experimental situations. The sets of simulated data for a two compartment system were analyzed by the gaussian iterative technique. With a rate constant ratio of at least four the technique converged for data errors of 5% or less. The calculated error in the rate constants ranged from 2 to 85%, and in the amplitudes from 1 to 50%, for data error of 0.5 to 10%. The lesser rate constant and amplitude had the greater errors. If a wrong assumption was made in the analysis about the variation of data error over the time interval of measurement, then the calculated values of parameter standard deviations were greatly in error. The results can be used to decide what experimental accuracy is needed for a given accuracy of model parameters for a variety of biological problems.