title: Interobserver reliability in quantitative MRI assessment of temporomandibular joint disk status.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate interobserver reliability of a new technique for quantification of magnetic resonance images of temporomandibular joint disk status.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty magnetic resonance images of adolescent temporomandibular joints were randomly drawn for analysis. Four experienced observers traced the articular disk and osseous structures on sagittal magnetic resonance slice images. Quantitative measurements of disk length and disk displacement were recorded for each slice of 57 joints traced by each observer through use of a new quantification technique. Intraclass correlation coefficients were computed to assess interobserver agreement in the tracing of joint structures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The calculated intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.681 for disk length and 0.830 for disk displacement. In addition, the mean variability among observers was 1.041 mm for measurement of disk length and 0.972 mm for measurement of disk displacement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interobserver agreement is high when the new quantification technique is used to interpret magnetic resonance images.
authors.affiliation: TMD Investigation Unit, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nebbe
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hatcher
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Hollender
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Major
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D009716:Numerical Analysis, Computer-Assisted; D015588:Observer Variation; D019224:Temporomandibular Joint Disc / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000473:pathology*; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000473:pathology*