Professional
Technical
IVT
Coefficient of Variation
A statistical measure of assay precision expressed as the ratio of standard deviation to mean.
Full Definition
The coefficient of variation (CV) quantifies analytical precision by expressing the standard deviation as a percentage of the mean value. In hormone testing, CV values indicate assay reproducibility and are crucial for quality control assessment. Lower CV values indicate better precision, with most clinical hormone assays targeting CVs below 10%. CVs help laboratories monitor assay performance and compare precision between different analytical methods or time periods.
Usage
Usage note: Abbreviate as 'CV' in technical contexts; express as percentage.
In Context
- "The testosterone assay demonstrated a coefficient of variation of 4.2% at therapeutic levels." — Quality control report
- "Inter-assay coefficient of variation should not exceed 15% for acceptable performance." — Laboratory accreditation standard
Also known as
CV
Relative standard deviation
Don't confuse with
Standard deviation
Confidence interval
Correlation coefficient