TY - JOUR
T1 - Lumbar spine
T2 - Agreement in the interpretation of 1.5-T MR images by using the nordic modic consensus group classification form
AU - Arana, Estanislao
AU - Royuela, Ana
AU - Kovacs, Francisco M.
AU - Estremera, Ana
AU - Sarasíbar, Helena
AU - Amengual, Guillermo
AU - Galarraga, Isabel
AU - Martínez, Carmen
AU - Muriel, Alfonso
AU - Abraira, Víctor
AU - Del Real, María Teresa Gil
AU - Zamora, Javier
AU - Campillo, Carlos
PY - 2010/3
Y1 - 2010/3
N2 - Purpose: To evaluate intra- and interobserver agreement for the interpretation of lumbar 1.5-T magnetic resonance (MR) images in a community setting. Materials and Methods: The study design was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Ramón y Cajal Hospital. According to Spanish law, for this type of study, no informed consent was necessary. Five radiologists from three hospitals twice interpreted lumbar MR examination results in 53 patients with low back pain, with at least a 14-day interval between assessments. Radiologists were unaware of the clinical and demographic characteristics of the patients and of their colleagues' assessments. At the second assessment, they were unaware of the results of the first assessment. Reports on Modic changes, osteophytes, Schmorl nodes, diffuse defects, disk degeneration, annular tears (highsignal-intensity zones), disk contour, spondylolisthesis, and spinal stenosis were collected by using the Spanish version of the Nordic Modic Consensus Group classification. The k statistic was used to assess intra- and interobserver agreement for findings with a prevalence of 10% or greater and 90% or lower. k was categorized as almost perfect (0.81-1.00), substantial (0.61-0.80), moderate (0.41-0.60), fair (0.21-0.40), slight (0.00-0.20), or poor (< 0.00). Results: Endplate erosions and spondylolisthesis were observed in less than 10% of images. Intraobserver reliability was almost perfect for spinal stenosis; substantial for Modic changes, Schmorl nodes, disk degeneration, annular tears, and disk contour; and moderate for osteophytes. Interobserver reliability was moderate for Modic changes, Schmorl nodes, disk degeneration, annular tears, and disk contour; fair for osteophytes; and poor for spinal stenosis. Conclusion: In conditions close to those of clinical practice, there was only moderate interobserver agreement in the reporting of findings at 1.5-T lumbar MR imaging.
AB - Purpose: To evaluate intra- and interobserver agreement for the interpretation of lumbar 1.5-T magnetic resonance (MR) images in a community setting. Materials and Methods: The study design was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Ramón y Cajal Hospital. According to Spanish law, for this type of study, no informed consent was necessary. Five radiologists from three hospitals twice interpreted lumbar MR examination results in 53 patients with low back pain, with at least a 14-day interval between assessments. Radiologists were unaware of the clinical and demographic characteristics of the patients and of their colleagues' assessments. At the second assessment, they were unaware of the results of the first assessment. Reports on Modic changes, osteophytes, Schmorl nodes, diffuse defects, disk degeneration, annular tears (highsignal-intensity zones), disk contour, spondylolisthesis, and spinal stenosis were collected by using the Spanish version of the Nordic Modic Consensus Group classification. The k statistic was used to assess intra- and interobserver agreement for findings with a prevalence of 10% or greater and 90% or lower. k was categorized as almost perfect (0.81-1.00), substantial (0.61-0.80), moderate (0.41-0.60), fair (0.21-0.40), slight (0.00-0.20), or poor (< 0.00). Results: Endplate erosions and spondylolisthesis were observed in less than 10% of images. Intraobserver reliability was almost perfect for spinal stenosis; substantial for Modic changes, Schmorl nodes, disk degeneration, annular tears, and disk contour; and moderate for osteophytes. Interobserver reliability was moderate for Modic changes, Schmorl nodes, disk degeneration, annular tears, and disk contour; fair for osteophytes; and poor for spinal stenosis. Conclusion: In conditions close to those of clinical practice, there was only moderate interobserver agreement in the reporting of findings at 1.5-T lumbar MR imaging.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77950152490&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1148/radiol.09090706
DO - 10.1148/radiol.09090706
M3 - Article
C2 - 20123897
AN - SCOPUS:77950152490
SN - 0033-8419
VL - 254
SP - 809
EP - 817
JO - Radiology
JF - Radiology
IS - 3
ER -