title: Intra- and interobserver agreement among bronchial endosonographers for the description of intrathoracic lymph nodes.
abstract: Several sonographic features observed by endobronchial ultrasonography have been suggested to be useful to predict malignancy in mediastinal lymph nodes. To evaluate agreement to describe sonographic features, 28 video images were evaluated twice by eight expert bronchoscopists. The observers reviewed each case for the presence of coagulation necrosis sign (CNS), central hilar structure (CHS), heterogeneity, distinct margin, round shape, size >1 cm and malignancy. Intraobserver agreement was almost perfect for size (κ = 0.826), substantial for CNS (κ = 0.721) and shape (κ = 0.615), and moderate for CHS (κ = 0.565), heterogeneity (κ = 0.441) and margin (κ = 0.407). Interobserver agreement was substantial for size (κ = 0.641), moderate for shape (κ = 0.445), and fair for CNS (κ = 0.340) and margin (κ = 0.274). In conclusion, inter- and intraobserver agreement of the endosonographic features for mediastinal or hilar lymph nodes is good for shape or size but not good enough for the other ultrasonographic features.
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Service, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain. ignasi.g.olive@gmail.com
authors.forename: Ignasi
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Garcia-Olivé
authors.forename: Joaquim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Radua
authors.forename: Pere
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Andreo
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sanz-Santos
authors.forename: Eduard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Monsó
authors.forename: Antoni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rosell
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cases-Viedma
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fernández-Villar
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Núñez-Delgado
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: García-Luján
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Morera
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Manzano
mesh_terms: D001980:Bronchi / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D019160:Endosonography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013909:Thorax / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*