The effect of a technical quality assessment of hip-extended radiographs on interobserver agreement in the diagnosis of canine hip dysplasia.
Experienced and inexperienced observers evaluated the assessability of 50 radiographs (25 dogs) and determined the hip status (dysplasia/nondysplasia and final scoring according Fédération Cynologique Internationale [FCI]-criteria) individually. A radiographic technical quality assessment was performed in a separate reading session. Interobserver agreement in determining dysplasia/nondysplasia and FCI-scoring did not significantly increase with the increasing quality of a radiograph, irrespective whether these observers are experienced or not. There was a significant agreement between the technical quality assessment and assessability (P < 0.0005). Despite the effort to objectify radiographic quality and to present high-quality radiographs to observers, interobserver agreement on dysplasia/nondysplasia and final scoring, remains low, even in the experienced group. Although increased radiographic quality narrows the range of scoring, the range remains unacceptably high.
Department of Medical Imaging, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium. geertverhoeven@hotmail.com
Geert E C
GE
Verhoeven
Ruth R
RR
Fortrie
Luc
L
Duchateau
Jimmy H
JH
Saunders
Bernadette
B
Van Ryssen
Henri
H
Van Bree
Frank
F
Coopman
D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004285:Dogs; D005269:Femur / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006619:Hip Dysplasia, Canine / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007085:Ilium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D015588:Observer Variation; D011859:Radiography / Q000592:standards