The only appropriate definition of elevated is higher than normal for that patient. Unfortunately, doctors rarely have a baseline to work from, so they use stat

The only appropriate definition of elevated is higher than normal for that patient. Unfortunately, doctors rarely have a baseline to work from, so they use statistics instead. A relative of mine had a PSA test that read statistically normal. Luckily he looked at the actual number and saw that, while it was within statistical normal, it was in fact higher than any other prior reading for him. Further testing came up positive for prostate cancer. If he hasn't been paying attention, that would have been another year of cancer until the next check.