Implementation of metrological traceability in laboratory medicine: where we are and what is missing

Background The Joint Committee on Traceability in Laboratory Medicine (JCTLM) has recently created the Task Force on Reference Measurement System Implementation (TF-RMSI) for providing guidance on traceability implementation to in vitro diagnostics (IVD) manufacturers. Using serum creatinine (sCr) as an example, a preliminary exercise was carried out by checking what type of information is available in the JCTLM database and comparing this against derived analytical performance specifications (APS) for measurement uncertainty (MU) of sCr. Content APS for standard MU of sCr measurements were established as a fraction (≤0.75, minimum quality; ≤0.50, desirable quality; and ≤0.25, optimum quality) of the intra-individual biological variation of the measurand (4.4%). By allowing no more than one third of the total MU budget for patient samples to be derived from higher-order references, two out of the four JCTLM reference materials (RMs) at least allow minimum APS to be achieved for the MU of patient samples. Commutability was explicitly assessed for one of the JCTLM-listed matrixed RMs, which was produced in compliance with ISO 15194:2009 standard, whereas the remaining three RMs were assessed against the ISO 15194:2002 version of the standard, which only required the extent of commutability testing to be reported. Regarding the three listed reference methods, the MU associated with isotopic dilution-mass spectrometry coupled to gas chromatography (ID/GC/MS) and isotopic dilution-mass spectrometry coupled to liquid chromatography (ID/LC/MS) would allow APS to be fulfilled, while the isotope dilution surface-enhanced Raman scattering (ID/SERS) method displays higher MU. Summary The most recently listed RM for sCr in the JCTLM database meets the ISO 15194:2009 requirements with MU that would allow APS to be fulfilled and has had commutability demonstrated for use as a common calibrator in implementing traceability of sCr measurements. Splitting clinical samples with a laboratory performing ID/GC/MS or ID/LC/MS provides an alternative but would also require all components of uncertainty of these materials to be assessed. Outlook Using appropriately derived APS to judge whether reference measurement system components are fit for purpose represents a novel approach. The TF-RMSI is planning to review a greater number of measurands to provide more robust information about the state of the art of available reference measurement systems and their impact on the ability of clinical measurements to meet APS.