What does the term 'CV' refer to in the context of Quality Assurance in flow cytometry?

The term 'CV' in the context of Quality Assurance in flow cytometry refers to the Coefficient of Variation. This statistical measure is essential for assessing the precision of measurements in flow cytometry. The Coefficient of Variation is calculated as the ratio of the standard deviation to the mean, expressed as a percentage. It provides a normalized measure of variability that allows for comparison across different datasets or experiments, regardless of the units of measurement or the scale of the data.

In flow cytometry, having a low CV indicates a high degree of consistency and reliability in the data being collected, which is crucial for accurate analysis of cellular populations. This measure is especially significant when evaluating the performance of instruments and assays, as it can highlight potential issues with instrument stability or sample quality.

This emphasis on the Coefficient of Variation helps ensure that the analytical results derived from flow cytometric analysis are reproducible and trustworthy, which is fundamental in clinical diagnostics and research applications.