title: Reliability and Limits of Agreement of the Supraspinatus Muscle Anatomical Cross-Sectional Area Assessment by Ultrasonography.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability and limits of agreement for assessment of the anatomical cross-sectional area (ACSA) of the supraspinatus muscle using B-mode ultrasonography. Sixteen participants were examined with two different protocols, on two different days. There were no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) in ACSA values between days 1 and 2 or between protocols 1 and 2; the average intra-class correlation coefficient ranged from 0.93 to 0.96. The limits of agreement for supraspinatus ACSA were, in both protocols, about ± 1 cm(2). Our findings revealed that both protocols had high reliability in distinguishing differences of about 1 cm(2) between groups or after interventions and that ultrasonography can be used for experimental designs in which the expected changes in ACSA would be higher than 14%.
authors.affiliation: Department of Training and Movement Sciences, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Fyllis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Papatzika
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, Technological Education Institute of Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Papandreou
authors.affiliation: Department of Training and Movement Sciences, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Antonis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ekizos
authors.affiliation: Department of Training and Movement Sciences, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Chrystalla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Panteli
authors.affiliation: Department of Training and Movement Sciences, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: a.arampatzis@hu-berlin.de.
authors.forename: Adamantios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arampatzis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D019412:Anatomy, Cross-Sectional / Q000379:methods*; D064131:Back Muscles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D017006:Rotator Cuff / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014463:Ultrasonography
keywords: Bland–Altman plots; Muscle morphology; Muscle size; Rotator cuff muscles