title: The interobserver reliability of ovarian volume measurement is improved with three-dimensional ultrasound, but dependent upon technique.
abstract: The effect of measurement technique on the interobserver reliability of ovarian volume calculation from three-dimensional (3-D) ultrasound (US) data was investigated. Ovarian volume was calculated in 20 patients by two observers using both the "prolate ellipsoid formula" and a new 3-D rotational technique (VOCAL). There was a significant difference between observers in mean ovarian volume calculated by the prolate ellipsoid formula (31.54 mL vs. 26.54 mL: p < 0.05), which proved to be a significantly less reliable technique than 3-D rotational volume calculation with VOCAL. Image quality was significantly better (p < 0.001) and measurements were significantly more reliable (p < 0.05) in the B-plane than in the C- plane of the multiplanar display. Rotational measurement of ovarian volume from 3-D US data is significantly more reliable between observers than volume estimation from 2-D parameters using the prolate ellipsoid formula, but is dependent upon image quality, which is significantly better in the B-plane than in the C-plane.
authors.affiliation: Academic Division of Reproductive Medicine, School of Human Development, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK. nick.fenning@nottingham.ac.uk
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Raine-Fenning
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Clewes
authors.forename: I R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D015588:Observer Variation; D010053:Ovary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014463:Ultrasonography