Respiratory Virus NAAT Panel: Result Logic
Original bench-card visual for reviewing respiratory virus molecular panel logic from specimen to target result.
Respiratory NAAT panel: specimen to target result
Molecular panels answer whether specific targets were detected in that specimen. They do not grade disease severity or replace specimen quality review.
Start with source and collection quality. The result belongs to the submitted specimen and the assay targets on the panel.
Detected means a target signal was found by that assay. Report wording follows the platform and laboratory SOP.
Not detected means no listed target was detected by that method. It does not prove absence of every respiratory virus.
Start with source and collection quality. The result belongs to the submitted specimen and the assay targets on the panel.
Detected means a target signal was found by that assay. Report wording follows the platform and laboratory SOP.
Not detected means no listed target was detected by that method. It does not prove absence of every respiratory virus.
Respiratory panel readout anchors
| Visual clue | Meaning | Student shorthand |
|---|---|---|
| Good specimen plus valid controls | Interpretable panel | Proceed to target-level readout |
| Target detected | Assay target found | Use exact organism or target wording from the panel |
| No listed target detected | Negative panel result | Limited to included targets and assay performance |
| Invalid control | Uninterpretable run | Repeat or recollect per SOP |
Respiratory NAAT interpretation guide
| Pattern | What to call it | How to think about it |
|---|---|---|
| Detected target | Positive for that target | Report with exact assay wording |
| Multiple targets detected | Co-detection pattern | Verify panel rules and reporting language |
| All targets not detected | No included target detected | Correlate with collection quality and timing |
| Invalid | No result | Repeat according to SOP |
- Molecular panels detect targets included on the panel.
- Controls and specimen quality come before interpretation.
- Negative means not detected by that assay, not every virus excluded.
NAAT reads targets in a specimen. Keep the wording that precise.