title: Objective Assessment of the Precision, Accuracy, and Reliability of a Measurement Method for Keloid Scar Volume (PARKS Study).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is no accepted and validated method for quantitatively measuring keloid scar volume.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The goal of this study was to develop a measurement method for ear keloid scar volume that is economical, practical, safe, reproducible, accurate, and precise.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten synthetic keloids of various shapes and sizes were temporarily attached to the ears of 5 subjects. Three study raters molded each of the attached synthetic keloids and surrounding tissue of each of the subjects twice using a polyvinyl siloxane dental impression material to form a negative impression of the keloid. Once the impression material cured, the mold was removed from the subjects' ears and randomized for measurement by study raters. Molds were filled with distilled water and weighed to obtain the weight of water required to fill the impression of the keloid.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The test method defined by this study accurately and precisely measures the volume of a focal protrusion extending beyond the normal surface plane of a test subject's ear. The calculated intrarater correlation coefficient values for both the intrarater and interrater reliabilities were >0.75.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The techniques and methods used in this study resulted in an accurate and reliable method for measuring ear keloid scar volumes.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Dermatology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida; †Mercy Health Research, Washington, Missouri; ‡Saint Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Berman
authors.forename: Vernon Leroy
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McAndrews
mesh_terms: D003760:Dental Impression Materials; D061827:Dimensional Measurement Accuracy; D054644:Ear Auricle; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D007627:Keloid / Q000473:pathology*; D015588:Observer Variation; D011145:Polyvinyls; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012833:Siloxanes; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D003760:Dental Impression Materials; D011145:Polyvinyls; D012833:Siloxanes; C034183:vinyl polysiloxane; D014867:Water