title: Reliability of renal ultrasound measurements in children.
abstract: The aim of the investigation reported here was to assess the intraobserver and interobserver variability of renal measurements in children. The study comprised 56 paired measurements in 28 children (median age 7.5 years, range 3.0-15.0 years) without renal or ureterovesical anomalies. Intraobserver and interobserver reproducibility was assessed by repeated measurements of the left and right renal length, width, and thickness. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) with the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. Bland and Altman plots were computed to assess the agreement of the measurements. Limits of agreement +/- 2 standard deviations (SD) for the mean differences in renal measurements were derived. Intraobserver ICCs ranged from 0.93 (left and right renal width and right renal thickness) to 0.99 (left renal length), and interobserver ICCs ranged from 0.64 (right renal thickness) to 0.90 (right renal length). Limits of agreement in the Bland and Altman plots ranged from -8.0 to 9.2% (intraobserver left renal width) to the widest limit from -18.0 to 19.2% (interobserver left renal length). Overall, this study demonstrated the good reproducibility and agreement of most renal dimensions in children measured by ultrasound (US). Based on these results, we conclude that US is an appropriate measure to assess renal dimensions in both clinical and epidemiological studies.
authors.affiliation: The Generation R Study Group (AE-006), Erasmus Medical Center, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J J Miranda
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Geelhoed
authors.forename: Veronica E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Kleyburg-Linkers
authors.forename: Sonja P E
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Snijders
authors.forename: Maarten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lequin
authors.forename: Jeroen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nauta
authors.forename: Eric A P
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Steegers
authors.forename: Albert J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: van der Heijden
authors.forename: Vincent W V
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Jaddoe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014463:Ultrasonography