Which term describes the ability of an analytical method to maintain both accuracy and precision over time?

The term that describes the ability of an analytical method to maintain both accuracy and precision over time is reliability. Reliability encompasses the consistency of results across multiple measurements or over time, indicating that the method consistently produces results that are true to the actual values (accuracy) and that those results cluster closely together (precision).

In a clinical or laboratory setting, maintaining reliability is crucial because it ensures that the diagnostic tests provide dependable and repeatable results, which are essential for correct patient management and decision-making. Factors that contribute to the reliability of a method include the stability of reagents, the robustness of the procedure against variations, and the proper calibration of instruments.

The other terms, while related to the overall quality of analytical methods, do not fully capture the ongoing performance aspect that reliability encompasses. Validity refers to the degree to which a method measures what it is intended to measure. Reproducibility pertains specifically to the ability to obtain consistent results across different conditions or laboratories, and sensitivity is about the method's ability to correctly identify true positives. While all these factors contribute to the overall effectiveness of an analytical method, reliability specifically highlights the combination of accuracy and precision maintained over time.