scholarly journals REPRODUCIBILITY OF MODIFIED WALDENSTRÖM CLASSIFICATION IN PERTHES DISEASE

2021 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 92-96
Author(s):  
FELIPPI GUIZARDI CORDEIRO ◽  
PATRICIA MORENO GRANGEIRO ◽  
BRUNO SÉRGIO FERREIRA MASSA ◽  
NEI BOTTER MONTENEGRO ◽  
ROBERTO GUARNIERO

ABSTRACT Objective: The purpose of our study is to evaluate intraobserver and interobserver reliability of modified Waldenström classification system for Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease and assess the influence of the professional’s area of expertise in the assessment. Methods: Twelve evaluators assessed 40 pairs of pelvic radiographs of patients with Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease. After two weeks, a new evaluation was performed by the same evaluators. Kappa and Kendall’s W indexes were used to evaluate both intraobserver and interobserver reliability and determine the influence of the evaluators’ experience and area of expertise. Results: The average intraobserver kappa value was 0.394, with a reasonable agreement level. The interobserver Kappa value was 0.243 in the first evaluation (95% CI, 0.227-0.259 and p < 0.0001) and 0.245 in the second evaluation (95% CI, 0.229-0.260 and p < 0.0001). The Kendall’s W values obtained for pediatric orthopedists, radiologists and resident physicians were 0.686, 0.630 and 0.529 (p < 0.0001), respectively. Conclusion: The modified Waldenström classification presented both moderate and reasonable levels of intraobserver agreement, and reasonable level of interobserver agreement. The evaluators’ degree of experience and area of expertise influenced the concordance level found. Level of Evidence II, Diagnostic Studies - Investigating a Diagnostic Test.

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 260-263
Author(s):  
Ramon Oliveira Soares ◽  
Nelson Astur ◽  
Fabio Chaud de Paula ◽  
Paulo Simões Forte ◽  
Guilherme Alves de Melo ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Introduction: The paravertebral musculature is essential for the biomechanics and stability of the spine, and its involvement in the pathophysiology of spinal diseases has been demonstrated. Qualitative evaluation of muscle degeneration is usually performed by analyzing the fat infiltration rate proposed by the Goutallier classification system. Objective: The objective of this study is to analyze the intra- and interobserver agreement of the Goutallier Classification for the evaluation of fatty degeneration of the multifidus muscle, using magnetic resonance imaging exams. Methods: The study included 68 patients, all diagnosed with symptomatic disc hernia and indicated for surgery. Preoperative magnetic resonance images were used for the analyses. The images were initially evaluated by two orthopedists and two medical students, and then re-evaluated after two weeks. Intra- and inter-observer reliability analysis was performed using the Fleiss Kappa test and the Landis and Koch criteria. All the analyses were performed using the R statistical environment (R Development Core Team, version 3.3.1, 2016) and the significance level was set at 5%. Results: The percentages of intra- and inter-observer agreement were 86.76% and 61.03%, respectively. The intraobserver agreement was near perfect and the interobserver agreement was moderate. Conclusion: The Goutallier Classification System showed moderate interobserver and intraobserver agreement, being a relevant tool for the evaluation of paravertebral musculature fat replacement. Level of evidence II; Prospective study for diagnostic purposes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rong-rong Zhang ◽  
Yan Yu ◽  
Yin-fen Hou ◽  
Chang-fan Wu

Abstract Background Myopic maculopathy (MM) is one of the major causes of visual impairment and irreversible blindness in eyes with pathologic myopia (PM). However, the classification of each type of lesion associated with MM has not been determined. Recently, a new MM classification system, known as the ATN grading and classification system, was proposed; it is based on the fundus photographs and optical coherence tomography (OCT) images and includes three variable components: atrophy (A), traction (T), and neovascularization (N). This study aimed to perform an independent evaluation of interobserver and intraobserver agreement for the recently developed ATN grading system for MM. Methods This was a retrospective study. Fundus photographs and OCT images of 125 patients (226 eyes) with various MMs were evaluated and classified using the ATN grading of the new MM classification system by four blinded and independent evaluators (2 attending ophthalmologists and 2 ophthalmic residents). All cases were randomly re-evaluated by the same observers after an interval of 6 weeks. The kappa coefficient (κ) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to determine the interobserver and intraobserver agreement. Results The interobserver agreement was substantial when considering the maculopathy type (A, T, and N). The weighted Fleiss κ values for each MM type (A, T, and N) were 0.651 (95% CI: 0.602–0.700), 0.734 (95% CI: 0.689–0.779), and 0.702 (95% CI: 0.649–0.755), respectively. The interobserver agreement when considering the subtypes was good or excellent, except for stages A1, A2, and N1, in which the weighted κ value was less than 0.6, with moderate agreement. The intraobserver agreement of types and subtypes was excellent, with κ > 0.8. No significant differences were observed between the attending ophthalmologists and residents for interobserver reliability or intraobserver reproducibility. Conclusions The ATN classification allows an adequate agreement among ophthalmologists with different qualifications and by the same observer on separate occasions. Future prospective studies should further evaluate whether this classification can be better implemented in clinical decision-making and disease progression assessments.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Rauer ◽  
Matthias Boos ◽  
Valentin Neuhaus ◽  
Prasad Ellanti ◽  
Robert Alexander Kaufmann ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Although of great value in the management of lateral clavicle fractures, substantial variation in their classification exists. We performed a retrospective study to address the inter- and intraobserver reliability of three different classification systems for lateral clavicle fractures. Methods Radiographs of 20 lateral clavicle fractures that represented a full spectrum of adult fracture patterns were graded by five experienced radiologists and five experienced trauma surgeons according to the Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA), the Neer, and the Jäger/Breitner classification systems. This evaluation was performed at two different time points separated by 3 months. To measure the observer agreement, the Fleiss kappa coefficient (κ) was applied and assessed according to the grading of Landis and Koch. Results The overall interobserver reliability showed a fair agreement in all three classification systems. For the OTA classification system, the interobserver agreement showed a mean kappa value of 0.338 ranging from 0.350 (radiologists) to 0.374 (trauma surgeons). Kappa values of the interobserver agreement for the Neer classification system ranged from 0.238 (trauma surgeons) to 0.276 (radiologists) with a mean κ of 0.278. The Jäger/Breitner classification system demonstrated a mean kappa value of 0.330 ranging from 0.306 (trauma surgeons) to 0.382 (radiologists). The overall intraobserver reliability was moderate for the OTA and the Jäger/Breitner classification systems, while the overall intraobserver reliability for the Neer classification system was fair. The kappa values of the intraobserver agreements showed, in all classification systems, a wide range with the OTA classification system ranging from 0.086 to 0.634, the Neer classification system ranging from 0.137 to 0.448, and a range from 0.154 to 0.625 of the Jäger/Breitner classification system. Conclusions The low inter- and intraobserver agreement levels exhibited in all three classification systems by both specialist groups suggest that the tested lateral clavicle fracture classification systems are unreliable and, therefore, of limited value. We should recognize there is considerable inconsistency in how physicians classify lateral clavicle fractures and therefore any conclusions based on these classifications should be recognized as being somewhat subjective.


Neurosurgery ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Thaler ◽  
Ricarda Lechner ◽  
Michaela Gstöttner ◽  
Matthias Luegmair ◽  
Michael Liebensteiner ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUND: Kuntz et al recently introduced a new system for classifying spinal deformities. This classification of spinal deformity was developed from age-dependent deviations from the neutral upright spinal alignment. OBJECTIVE: To determine the interobserver and intraobserver reliabilities of the new Kuntz et al system for classifying scoliosis. METHODS: Fifty consecutive patients were evaluated. Three observers independently assigned a major structural curve, minor structural curve, curve type, apical vertebral rotation, spinal balance, and pelvic alignment to each curve following the guidelines described by Kuntz et al. Assignment of the curves was repeated 4 weeks later, with the curves presented in a different blinded order. The Kendall W and Holsti agreement coefficients were used to determine the interobserver and intraobserver agreement. RESULTS: The intraobserver value of agreement for all parameters was 0.85 (range, 0.28-1.0), and the mean Kendall W coefficient was 0.89 (range, 0.5-0.97), demonstrating perfect reliability. The interobserver agreement averaged 0.7 (range, 0.251-1.0). The mean Kendall W coefficient was 0.67 (range, 0.19-1.0), demonstrating substantial reliability. The average time for classification of 1 curve was approximately 8.4 minutes. CONCLUSION: The new Kuntz et al deformity classification system is comparable to the Lenke et al system in terms of reliability. However, the Kuntz et al classification system provides no recommendations for surgical interventions. It is more complex and time-consuming and therefore may be of limited value in daily clinical practice.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rong-rong Zhang ◽  
Yan Yu ◽  
Yin-fen Hou ◽  
Chang-fan Wu

Abstract Background: Myopic maculopathy (MM) is one of the major causes of visual impairment and irreversible blindness in eyes with PM. However, the classification of each type of lesion associated with MM has not been determined. Recently, a new MM classification system was proposed, known as the ATN grading and classification system, which was based on the fundus photographs and OCT images, including three variable components: atrophy (A), traction (T), and neovascularization (N). Hence, this study aimed to perform an independent interobserver and intraobserver agreement evaluation of the recently developed ATN grading system for MM. Methods: This was a retrospective study. Fundus photographs and the optical coherence tomography (OCT) images of 125 patients (226 eyes) with various of MM were evaluated and classified using the ATN grading of the new MM classification system by four evaluators (2 attending ophthalmologists and 2 ophthalmic residents). All cases were repeatedly evaluated by the same evaluators after an interval of 6 weeks. The Kappa coefficient (κ) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to determine the interobserver and intraobserver agreement.Results: The interobserver reliability was substantial when considering the maculopathy type (A, T, and N). The weighted Fleiss κ values for each MM type (A, T, and N) were 0.651 (95% CI: 0.602–0.700), 0.734 (95% CI: 0.689–0.779), and 0.702 (95% CI: 0.649–0.755), respectively. The interobserver agreement when considering the sub-types was good or excellent, except for stages A1, A2, and N1 which weighted κ value was less than 0.6, with a moderate agreement. The intraobserver reproducibility of types or sub-types was excellent, with κ>0.8. No significant differences were observed between attending ophthalmologists and residents in the interobserver reliability and intraobserver reproducibility.Conclusions: The ATN classification allows an adequate agreement among ophthalmologists with different qualifications and by the same observer on separate occasions. Future prospective studies should further evaluate whether this classification can be better implemented at clinical decision-making and disease progression assessment.


2021 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-109
Author(s):  
Mostafa H. El Dafrawy ◽  
Owoicho Adogwa ◽  
Adam M. Wegner ◽  
Nicholas A. Pallotta ◽  
Michael P. Kelly ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVEIn this study, the authors’ goal was to determine the intra- and interobserver reliability of a new classification system that allows the description of all possible constructs used across three-column osteotomies (3COs) in terms of rod configuration and density.METHODSThirty-five patients with multirod constructs (MRCs) across a 3CO were classified by two spinal surgery fellows according to the new system, and then were reclassified 2 weeks later. Constructs were classified as follows: the number of rods across the osteotomy site followed by a letter corresponding to the type of rod configuration: “M” is for a main rod configuration, defined as a single rod spanning the osteotomy. “L” is for linked rod configurations, defined as 2 rods directly connected to each other at the osteotomy site. “S” is for satellite rod configurations, which were defined as a short rod independent of the main rod with anchors above and below the 3CO. “A” is for accessory rods, defined as an additional rod across the 3CO attached to main rods but not attached to any anchors across the osteotomy site. “I” is for intercalary rod configurations, defined as a rod connecting 2 separate constructs across the 3CO, without the intercalary rod itself attached to any anchors across the osteotomy site. The intra- and interobserver reliability of this classification system was determined.RESULTSA sample estimation for validation assuming two readers and 35 subjects results in a two-sided 95% confidence interval with a width of 0.19 and a kappa value of 0.8 (SD 0.3). The Fleiss kappa coefficient (κ) was used to calculate the degree of agreement between interrater and intraobserver reliability. The interrater kappa coefficient was 0.3, and the intrarater kappa coefficient was 0.63 (good reliability). This scenario represents a high degree of agreement despite a low kappa coefficient. Correct observations by both observers were 34 of 35 and 33 of 35 at both time points. Misclassification was related to difficulty in determining connectors versus anchors.CONCLUSIONSMRCs across 3COs have variable rod configurations. Currently, no classification system or agreement on nomenclature exists to define the configuration of rods across 3COs. The authors present a new, comprehensive MRC classification system with good inter- and intraobserver reliability and a high degree of agreement that allows for a standardized description of MRCs across 3COs.


Author(s):  
Mustafa Akkaya ◽  
Mehmet Emin Simsek ◽  
Serhat Akcaalan ◽  
Ceyhun Caglar ◽  
Safa Gursoy ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective Aseptic loosening (AL) is among the most important causes of failure after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, while there are numerous underlying causes of AL, the morphometry of the distal femur and intramedullary canal has not been sufficiently demonstrated. This study aimed to show the interobserver and intraobserver reliability and validity of the Citak classification, which has been recently defined according to the morphometry of the distal femur and provides a risk factor definition for AL. Materials and Methods A total of 200 patients whose standardized anteroposterior (AP) and lateral images of the knee joint were obtained between October 2019 and April 2020 were retrospectively evaluated in this study. Patients with a history of extra-articular deformity and knee surgery were excluded from the study. For AL, morphologies of the distal femur were identified by two observers using the new radiological classification system of the distal femur. Mean pairwise Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was used to assess the intra- and interobserver agreement of the classification. Results There was excellent interobserver agreement for the 20 cm proximal and 2 cm proximal to the lateral joint line (PLJL) and adductor tubercle (PAD), respectively. The mean Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.96 (range 0.764–0.944) for the PAD and 0.98 (range 0.734–0.929) for the PLJL. There was also an excellent intraobserver agreement, with 93% average pairwise percent agreement for the index group and 95.5% average pairwise percent agreement for the anatomical classification group. Conclusions The level of inter- and intraobserver agreement for the morphology of the distal femur was excellent in the new radiological classification system, which was shown to be beneficial in the planning of revision knee arthroplasty for AL. However, there is a need for further studies in order to make a correlation of the classification with specific intraoperative findings.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 68-75
Author(s):  
Megan E. Fischer-Colbrie ◽  
Craig R. Louer ◽  
James D. Bomar ◽  
Peter Hahn ◽  
Eric W. Edmonds ◽  
...  

Background We analyzed preoperative CT scans of hips with slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) for characteristics that could be predictive of intraoperative epiphyseal stability and developed a set of imaging criteria for stable and unstable SCFE. We then compared this grading system with the Loder classification. Methods We reviewed preoperative CT imaging to develop a SCFE stability classification system. Three orthopaedic surgeons used the classification system to grade stability on a series of SCFE hips. Kappa was used to evaluate intra- and interobserver reliability among the observers. A series of SCFE hips treated with open procedures in which intraoperative stability was determined under direct visualization was evaluated. Intraoperative stability was compared with stability ratings as determined by the CT classification system and the Loder classification system. Results Interobserver reliability among our three observers was κ = 0.823 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.414 to 1.0; p < 0.001). Intraobserver reliability was κ = 0.901 (95% CI 0.492 to 1.31; p < 0.001). In all, 27 hips were used in the comparison of intraoperative stability with the Loder and CT classification systems. CT-predicted stability exhibited 78% concordance with intraoperative stability. The sensitivity and specificity of CT-predicted stability was 75% and 82%, respectively, versus Loder sensitivity of 69% and specificity of 91%. Conclusion The CT evaluation method provided is easy to use and can help to improve the accuracy in determining preoperative epiphyseal stability, which may lead to improved treatment outcomes for this population. Level of Evidence III


2011 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 732-739 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingmar Ipach ◽  
Eva-Maria Arlt ◽  
Falk Mittag ◽  
Beate Kunze ◽  
Petra Wolf ◽  
...  

Early detection of pistol-grip-deformity may be beneficial in optimising the outcome and the cost effectiveness of surgery. It is important to identify reliable radiographic parameters in assessing femoro-acetabular impingement (FAI) to develop a treatment algorithm. Radiographs of 47 patients ranging from “pistol grip deformity” to a normal head-neck-junction were measured for alpha angle and head ratio, and then classified by two different observers. The Bland-Altman plot was used for inter- and intraobserver agreement of alpha angle and head ratio. Inter- and intraobserver agreement for classification of “pistol grip deformity” was determined using weighted Cohen's kappa coefficient. Observer I achieved a kappa coefficient of 0.97. Observer II achieved a kappa coefficient of 0.92. An interobserver kappa coefficient between 0.87 and 0.92 was achieved by using a classification system. By testing for interobserver agreement, a bias of –0.004 with an upper limit of 0.461 and a lower limit of –0.47 was seen for the ratio and a bias of –3.7 with an upper limit of 17.2 and a lower limit of –24.6 for the alpha angle. Therefore, poor results were seen for intra- and interobserver reliability by using only a single plane for classification of “pistol grip deformity”. The strength of agreement could be improved by using a classification system (based on two planes).


Author(s):  
Andrew Z. Mo ◽  
Patricia E. Miller ◽  
Javier Pizones ◽  
Ilkka Helenius ◽  
Michael Ruf ◽  
...  

Purpose To evaluate the AOSpine Thoracolumbar Spine Injury Classification System and if it is reliable and reproducible when applied to the paediatric population globally. Methods A total of 12 paediatric orthopaedic surgeons were asked to review MRI and CT imaging of 25 paediatric patients with thoracolumbar spine traumatic injuries, in order to determine the classification of the lesions observed. The evaluators classified injuries into primary categories: A, B and C. Interobserver reliability was assessed for the initial reading by Fleiss’s kappa coefficient (kF) along with 95% confidence intervals (CI). For A and B type injuries, sub-classification was conducted including A0-A4 and B1-B2 subtypes. Interobserver reliability across subclasses was assessed using Krippendorff’s alpha (αk) along with bootstrapped 95% CIs. A second round of classification was performed one-month later. Intraobserver reproducibility was assessed for the primary classifications using Fleiss’s kappa and sub-classification reproducibility was assessed by Krippendorff’s alpha (αk) along with 95% CIs. Results In total, 25 cases were read for a total of 300 initial and 300 repeated evaluations. Adjusted interobserver reliability was almost perfect (kF = 0.74; 95% CI 0.71 to 0.78) across all observers. Sub-classification reliability was substantial (αk= 0.67; 95% CI 0.51 to 0.81), Adjusted intraobserver reproducibility was almost perfect (kF = 0.91; 95% CI 0.83 to 0.99) for both primary classifications and for sub-classifications (αk = 0.88; 95% CI 0.83 to 0.93). Conclusion The inter- and intraobserver reliability for the AOSpine Thoracolumbar Spine Injury Classification System was high amongst paediatric orthopaedic surgeons. The AOSpine Thoracolumbar Spine Injury Classification System is a promising option as a uniform fracture classification in children. Level of Evidence III


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document