The reliability of patient positioning for evaluating static radiologic parameters of the human pelvis.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the reproducibility of patient positioning on radiographically evaluated static configurations of the human pelvis.


METHODS
Repeat anteroposterior radiography of the human pelvis was performed in vivo. Comparative examinations were performed after 1 hr in one subject pool. A second sample underwent repeat examination after a mean of 18 days.


METHODS
Outpatient private practice chiropractic clinic.


METHODS
Thirty-seven relatively asymptomatic subjects participated in the experiment.


METHODS
Millimetric evaluations were made for leg length inequality, right/left sacral discrepancies and right/left innominate differences. The null hypothesis was that the difference of the measurements from the two radiographs would be equal to zero. A paired t-test was used to analyze if there were any significant differences. The mean measured difference in millimeters and correlation coefficients were also determined for each variable.


RESULTS
Individual variations for several roentgenometric parameters, including leg length inequality and pelvic torsion, did not reach statistical significance (p > .05) although minor millimetric discrepancies were recorded. Correlation coefficients, in most cases, were relatively high.


CONCLUSIONS
A subject can be reliably positioned for repeat anteroposterior pelvic radiography for both 1 hr and 18-day intervals. The methodology described has applicability to full spine radiography when roentgenometric parameters of the pelvis are scrutinized.
Plaugher
G
G
Palmer College of Chiropractic-West, San Jose, CA 95134-1617.
Hendricks
A H
AH
Doble
R W
RW
Bachman
T R
TR
Araghi
H J
HJ
Hoffart
V M
VM
D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D002684:Chiropractic / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010384:Pelvic Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011187:Posture; D011859:Radiography