title: A new, effective and low-cost three-dimensional approach for the estimation of upper-limb volume.
abstract: The aim of this research was to validate a new procedure (SkanLab) for the three-dimensional estimation of total arm volume. SkanLab is based on a single structured-light Kinect sensor (Microsoft, Redmond, WA, USA) and on Skanect (Occipital, San Francisco, CA, USA) and MeshLab (Visual Computing Lab, Pisa, Italy) software. The volume of twelve plastic cylinders was measured using geometry, as the reference, water displacement and SkanLab techniques (two raters and repetitions). The right total arm volume of thirty adults was measured by water displacement (reference) and SkanLab (two raters and repetitions). The bias and limits of agreement (LOA) between techniques were determined using the Bland-Altman method. Intra- and inter-rater reliability was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the standard error of measurement. The bias of SkanLab in measuring the cylinders volume was -21.9 mL (-5.7%) (LOA: -62.0 to 18.2 mL; -18.1% to 6.7%) and in measuring the volume of arms' was -9.9 mL (-0.6%) (LOA: -49.6 to 29.8 mL; -2.6% to 1.4%). SkanLab's intra- and inter-rater reliabilities were very high (ICC >0.99). In conclusion, SkanLab is a fast, safe and low-cost method for assessing total arm volume, with high levels of accuracy and reliability. SkanLab represents a promising tool in clinical applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari 09126, Italy. rbuffa@unica.it.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Buffa
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari 09126, Italy. emereu@unica.it.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mereu
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari 09126, Italy. paolo.lussu@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lussu
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari 09126, Italy. valerias@unica.it.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Succa
authors.affiliation: Metrology Group of Sardinia Radio Telescope, INAF, Selargius 09047, Italy. tpisanu@oa-cagliari.inaf.it.
authors.forename: Tonino
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pisanu
authors.affiliation: Metrology Group of Sardinia Radio Telescope, INAF, Selargius 09047, Italy. fbuffa@oa-cagliari.inaf.it.
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Buffa
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari 09126, Italy. emarini@unica.it.
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008209:Lymphedema / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: accuracy and reliability; lymphedema; three-dimensional  technique; upper limb volume