Given the circumstances of the particular spectrum measurement, the maximum detectable activity is the minimum amount of radioactive nuclide which could have been determined.

• Examine the peak region in the spectrum and calculate the net peak area, its uncertainty and the uncertainty of the peak background correction.
  
• Calculate the critical limit, L_C, and compare with the net peak area.
  
• If the peak area is greater than the critical limit quote a result with an appropriate confidence limit.
  
• If the peak area is not significant then calculate the detection limit, L_D, and pass that value through the calculation to produce an eventual detection limit which we can identify with the minimum detectable activity.

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