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Title: Confidence intervals for low-level, paired counting

Journal Article · · Health Physics

Fong and Alvarez (1997) make clear the lack of precision at MDA for paired counting. Confidence intervals provide a way of expressing a measurement process that lacks precision. Neyman-Pearson principles are briefly discussed and 95% confidence intervals of the form [0, {number_sign}{number_sign}.{number_sign}{number_sign}] are presented. Use is made of the fact that the probability of the difference of two random variables, each with a Poisson distribution, can be expressed in terms of modified Bessel functions of integral order and elementary functions. The validity of the values is discussed.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
OSTI ID:
696828
Journal Information:
Health Physics, Vol. 77, Issue 5SUP; Other Information: PBD: Nov 1999
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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