Professional
Technical
In the Industry Vocabulary Test
second-tier testing
Additional laboratory analysis performed on the original blood spot to reduce false positive rates.
Full Definition
A screening strategy that involves performing additional, more specific tests on the same dried blood spot specimen when initial results are abnormal or borderline. Second-tier testing helps differentiate true positives from false positives without requiring a new specimen from the infant. This approach improves the positive predictive value of screening programs while maintaining sensitivity for disease detection.
Usage
Usage note: Always hyphenate when used as an adjective.
In Context
- "Second-tier testing for succinylacetone reduced false positive rates significantly." — Program evaluation
- "The laboratory implemented second-tier testing algorithms for several conditions." — Method implementation report
Also known as
reflex testing
tiered testing
Contrasted with
first-tier testing
Don't confuse with
repeat testing
confirmatory testing