title: A comparison of three-dimensional ultrasound, two-dimensional ultrasound and dissections for determination of lesion volume in tendons.
abstract: The purpose of this work was to evaluate the accuracy and precision of a freehand three-dimensional (3-D) ultrasonography system in the determination of lesion volume in tendons. The accuracy and precision of a 3-D ultrasonography system was assessed by performing repeated measurements on a phantom of known volume. Volume measurements of tendon lesions performed with 3-D ultrasonography were compared with measurements based on a series of two-dimensional (2-D) ultrasound (US) scans and to direct measurements from dissections. A novel method for the creation of tendon lesions in vitro was developed. 3-D US showed excellent precision and accuracy in measurements of the phantom (mean measured volume = 3.76 mL, calculated volume = 3.77 mL, coefficient of variation (CoV) = 0.54%) and good repeatability in the determination of tendon lesions (repeatability coefficient = 0.00047). All three methods examined were repeatable (repeatability coefficient for 2-D US = 0.00032, repeatability coefficient for dissections = 0.00076). However, each of the methods produced different results and no constant relationship could be found between any of the measurement methods. Both 3-D and 2-D US proved to be repeatable techniques for the measurement of the volume of a tendon lesion. Even if they produced different results, each of them can be repeatedly used individually. It was not possible to define which one provided the most accurate value as a result of difficulties encountered in lesion identification on histology, and therefore the lack of a gold standard.
authors.affiliation: Structure and Motion Laboratory, Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield Hertfordshire, United Kingdom. mferrari@rvc.ac.uk
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: Renate
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Weller
authors.forename: Thilo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pfau
authors.forename: Rachel C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Payne
authors.forename: Alan M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017364:Collagenases; D004210:Dissection; D006736:Horses; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D017364:Collagenases