gold standard

gold stan·dard

the term criterion standard is preferred in medical writing.

Term used to describe a method or procedure that is widely recognized as the best available.

[jargon]

gold standard

1 an accepted test that is assumed to be able to determine the true disease state of a patient regardless of positive or negative test findings or sensitivities or specificities of other diagnostic tests used.

2 an acknowledged measure of comparison of the superior effectiveness or value of a particular medication or other therapy as compared with that of other drugs or treatments.

Any standardised clinical assessment, method, procedure, intervention or measurement of known validity and reliability which is generally taken to be the best available, against which new tests or results and protocols are compared

gold standard

Criterion standard The best or most successful diagnostic or therapeutic modality for a condition, against which new tests or results and protocols are compared. See Standard of practice, Practice guidelines.

gold stan·dard

(gōld stan'dărd)

Jargonistic term meaning ideal or basic measurement; usage best avoided.

[jargon]

gold

a chemical element, atomic number 79, atomic weight 196.967, symbol Au. See Table 6. Gold and many of its compounds are used in human medicine and occasionally in veterinary medicine. See also chrysotherapy.

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gold-198

a radioisotope of gold having a half-life of 2.7 days and emitting gamma and beta radiation. Symbol ¹⁹⁸Au.

gold colloid scintiscan

see scintiscan.

gold dust

a disease of aquarium fish caused by the flagellate protozoon Oodinium limnecicum. Affected fish develop a varnished look caused by a very heavy infestation of the protozoa on the skin and die within a few days.

gold standard

the ultimate standard to which all endeavors aspire.