Semi-automated adjusted measurement of nuchal translucency: feasibility and reproducibility.
OBJECTIVE
The variability of nuchal translucency thickness (NT) measurements in the first trimester appears to be associated in part with caliper placement. Methods for obtaining semi-automated adjusted measurements (SAAMs) can provide several NT values (maximum, minimum, mean and median) automatically within a manually set frame in the zone of interest. This study sought to assess the feasibility and reproducibility of these SAAM-NTs.


METHODS
Three readers, two experts and one less experienced, examined archive images of 160 patients and obtained SAAM-NTs from them, on two separate occasions. The intra- and interobserver reproducibility were assessed by calculating the intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for maximum, mean and median SAAM-NTs, and Bland-Altman plots were constructed.


RESULTS
SAAM-NTs were technically feasible for all 160 images. The range of ICCs for intraobserver reproducibility was 0.76-0.93 for mean SAAM-NT, 0.76-0.95 for median SAAM-NT and 0.74-0.95 for maximum SAAM-NT. Interobserver ICCs were 0.85, 0.85 and 0.84 for mean SAAM-NT, median SAAM-NT and maximum SAAM-NT, respectively. There were no significant differences for intra- and interobserver reproducibility of median, mean and maximum SAAM-NTs.


CONCLUSIONS
SAAM-NT is feasible with a high level of intra- and interobserver reproducibility. This easy-to-use method has the potential to simplify screening during the first trimester. It should be evaluated further and compared with the manual measurement method.
Grangé
G
G
Service d'Obstétrique, Maternité Port-Royal, Cochin-Saint-Vincent de Paul, AP-HP, Paris, France. gilles.grange@cch.aphp.fr
Althuser
M
M
Fresson
J
J
Bititi
A
A
Miyamoto
K
K
Tsatsaris
V
V
Morel
O
O
D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D048208:Nuchal Translucency Measurement / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D015588:Observer Variation; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D015203:Reproducibility of Results