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9 month psa test

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Posted 7/9/2009 10:27 PM (GMT 0)
test showed 0.04 which is lowest it can identify. My 3 and 6 month results were <0.04. If 0.04 is the lowest reading how can it identify less than 0.04 which the < symbol indicates. Are the readings the same or was todays result a slight increase. I have a call into doctor for a clarification. Any thought out there?
Posted 7/9/2009 10:33 PM (GMT 0)
jersey, that is wonderful news to hear, hope you celebrate greatly for all of us, may you have many more good ones to come.

david in sc
Posted 7/9/2009 10:55 PM (GMT 0)
Hi jersey,

Unless your doc says differently, I'd take the 0.04 reading as a zero (undetectable).

My doctor said that with some inaccuracies in PSA testing that a woman could get back a 0.04 reading.

So rest easy as Purgatory said!

Barry
Posted 7/10/2009 2:03 AM (GMT 0)
Sounds like you got the big 0 but I know you won't be happy until you hear from the doctor's office.
Posted 7/10/2009 2:32 AM (GMT 0)
Jersey,
At first glance it would appear that the assay machine your lab is using can detect PSA down to a level of .04ng/mL. If you had a level of say .03, or .02 or .01 or lower the assay cannot detect it and it should be reported as <.04 (which is nothing detectable given the limits of the equipment). I would not worry if the reading says .04 as this is probably the way that particular tech writes it up when it is at the limit of detection.
By the way, congratulations yeah
Bill
Posted 7/10/2009 1:38 PM (GMT 0)
Greetings, Jersey.  My doc always tells me I got a zero, but the paperwork always says less than .1.  My guess is that on the ultrasensitive test the lowest reading is .04 and if it doesn't reach that level it simply is referred to as less than .04.  Don't know but that would be my best guess.  At any rate, it's a zero so congratulations and just keep them rolling in.  David

Posted 7/10/2009 1:46 PM (GMT 0)
Typically...readings at or below the assays lowest limits are usually interchangable. In otherwords if the reading is at the lowest limit...then it can be shown as .04 or <.04 either way. Sounds like it is the same reading as the previous readings to me.

For now...just know that it is way below the 0.1 mark and that means <0.1 which is what you want to see.

Congrats on another zero for you.
Posted 7/11/2009 3:26 PM (GMT 0)
Assay measurements at or near the detection threshold are still not very reliable due to variance, i.e. the fluctuation in the reported value between successive tests in a controlled environment. So, even if the assay can "detect" a 0.04, it may not be able to consistently produce the same result at such a low number. As the measured value moves away from the threshold, assay variance improves. Add to that the probable uncontrolled environment of your lab and natural background noise levels of PSA that the body can produce, and measuring PSA down to the hundredths digit becomes very muddy.

 

CaPCa

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