title: In a clinimetric analysis, 3D stereophotogrammetry was found to be reliable and valid for measuring scar volume in clinical research.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Volume is an important feature in the evaluation of hypertrophic scars and keloids. Three-dimensional (3D) stereophotogrammetry is a noninvasive technique for the measurement of scar volume. This study evaluated the reliability and validity of 3D stereophotogrammetry for measuring scar volume.
  
  
  METHODS
  To evaluate reliability, 51 scars were photographed by two observers. Interobserver reliability was assessed by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and the measurement error was expressed as limits of agreement (LoA). To assess validity, 60 simulated (clay) scars were measured by 3D stereophotogrammetry and subsequently weighed (gold standard). The correlation of volumes obtained by both measures was calculated by a concordance correlation coefficient (CCC), and the measurement error was expressed as a 95% prediction interval.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ICC was 0.99, corresponding to a high correlation of measurements between two observers, although the LoA were relatively wide. The correlation between 3D stereophotogrammetry and the gold standard was also high, with a CCC of 0.97. Again, the plot of the differences and LoA showed moderate agreement for the validity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Three-dimensional stereophotogrammetry is suitable for the use in clinical research but not for the follow-up of the individual patient.
authors.affiliation: Burn Center Department, Red Cross Hospital, Vondellaan 13, Beverwijk 1942 LE, The Netherlands; Association of Dutch Burn Centers, Zeestraat 27-29, Beverwijk 1941 AJ, The Netherlands; Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, Red Cross Hospital, Vondellaan 13, Beverwijk 1942 LE, The Netherlands; Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, VU Medical Center, PO Box 7057, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam 1007 MB, The Netherlands; Research Institute MOVE Department VU University Medical Center of Amsterdam, PO Box 7057, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam 1007 MB, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Carlijn M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Stekelenburg
authors.affiliation: Burn Center Department, Red Cross Hospital, Vondellaan 13, Beverwijk 1942 LE, The Netherlands; Association of Dutch Burn Centers, Zeestraat 27-29, Beverwijk 1941 AJ, The Netherlands; Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, Red Cross Hospital, Vondellaan 13, Beverwijk 1942 LE, The Netherlands; Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, VU Medical Center, PO Box 7057, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam 1007 MB, The Netherlands; Research Institute MOVE Department VU University Medical Center of Amsterdam, PO Box 7057, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam 1007 MB, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Mariëlle E H
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Jaspers
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, VU Medical Center, PO Box 7057, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam 1007 MB, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Frank B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Niessen
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, VU University Medical Center, PO Box 7057, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam 1007 MB, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Dirk L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Knol
authors.affiliation: Burn Center Department, Red Cross Hospital, Vondellaan 13, Beverwijk 1942 LE, The Netherlands; Association of Dutch Burn Centers, Zeestraat 27-29, Beverwijk 1941 AJ, The Netherlands; Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, Red Cross Hospital, Vondellaan 13, Beverwijk 1942 LE, The Netherlands; Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, VU Medical Center, PO Box 7057, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam 1007 MB, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Martijn B A
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: van der Wal
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, VU University Medical Center, PO Box 7057, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam 1007 MB, The Netherlands; EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, PO Box 7057, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam 1007 MB, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Henrica C W
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: de Vet
authors.affiliation: Burn Center Department, Red Cross Hospital, Vondellaan 13, Beverwijk 1942 LE, The Netherlands; Association of Dutch Burn Centers, Zeestraat 27-29, Beverwijk 1941 AJ, The Netherlands; Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, Red Cross Hospital, Vondellaan 13, Beverwijk 1942 LE, The Netherlands; Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, VU Medical Center, PO Box 7057, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam 1007 MB, The Netherlands; Research Institute MOVE Department VU University Medical Center of Amsterdam, PO Box 7057, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam 1007 MB, The Netherlands. Electronic address: ppmvanzuijlen@me.com.
authors.forename: Paul P M
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: van Zuijlen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D010780:Photogrammetry / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
keywords: Cicatrix; Dimensional measurement accuracy; Keloid; Reproducibility of results; Three-dimensional imaging; Validation studies