What is an indication of a well-performing antibody screening test?

A well-performing antibody screening test is characterized by the ability to identify multiple antibodies effectively. This capacity is crucial in clinical settings, particularly in blood transfusion and organ transplantation, where the presence of different antibodies can significantly impact patient safety and treatment outcomes.

Identifying multiple antibodies allows for a more comprehensive assessment of a patient’s immune status and helps in diagnosing various conditions, including autoimmune diseases and infections. Hence, the effectiveness of a screening test is not only measured by detecting a single antibody but also by its ability to provide a broader view of the antibody landscape within a sample.

In contrast, while specificity is important for minimizing false positives, it does not solely define the performance of an antibody screening test. Low sensitivity and many false negatives would indicate a poor-performing test, and low costs might be an attractive feature but do not directly correlate with the test's diagnostic performance or effectiveness.