Using videotaped specimens to test quality control in a computer-assisted semen analysis system

Objective: To determine the feasibility of using semen samples previously recorded on videotape for intralaboratory and interlaboratory quality control of computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA) systems. Design: Blinded, controlled study. Setting: Pooled semen specimens from two normal human volunteers in an academic research environment. Patient(s): None. Intervention(s): None. Main Outcome Measure(s): Semen parameters from a videotape analyzed internally and by four external laboratories. Result(s): Preliminary experiments designed to examine intralaboratory variation by repeated analysis of semen samples recorded on videotape revealed some significant differences for every variable examined. When these data were analyzed by using the larger biologic error caused by subsampling, no significant differences were found for any of the variables examined. When either a standard set or the specific laboratories' sets of parameters were used to analyze the same videotaped semen specimen, no statistically significant differences were detected for sperm concentration for motility among the five laboratories after the biological error caused by subsampling was applied to results. Conclusion(s): These data strongly suggest that videotaped semen specimens can serve as quality control for intralaboratory and interlaboratory testing of CASA equipment as long as the biologic error caused by subsampling is used to compare results. (C) 2000 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.