title: Reliability of the Soong Classification for Volar Plate Position.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the present study was to assess the inter- and intraobserver reliability of the Soong classification system for volar plate position. Our hypothesis was that the Soong grade would be found to be reliable.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four physicians (K.F.L., M.R., J.L.M., P.K.B.) were asked to classify lateral wrist radiographs of volar plated distal radius fractures based on the Soong classification on 3 separate occasions. Forty-six distal radius fractures fixed by volar plates were selected from a surgical image database at our institution. Radiographs were selected to ensure that each Soong grade was adequately represented. The physician observers in the current study were blinded to the previously assigned grade and to clinical information regarding the patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Based upon the average grade of all 4 observers, 17 plates were Soong grade 0, 20 plates were Soong grade 1, and 9 plates were Soong grade 2. The intraobserver reliability among the 4 observers was 0.94 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.96-0.89), 0.93 (95% CI, 0.96-0.90), 0. 91 (95% CI, 0.94-0.86), and 0.80 (95% CI, 0.87-0.71). The interobserver reliability was 0.78 (95% CI, 0.85-0.69).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found the Soong classification to be a reliable tool in assessing the degree of plate prominence. We continue to use the Soong classification system in describing volar plate position.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of the Soong classification for determining volar plate prominence is reliable.
authors.affiliation: The Rothman Institute, Hand & Upper Extremity Surgery, Philadelphia, PA. Electronic address: Kevin.lutsky@rothmaninstitute.com.
authors.forename: Kevin F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Lutsky
authors.affiliation: The Rothman Institute, Hand & Upper Extremity Surgery, Philadelphia, PA.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jimenez
authors.affiliation: The Rothman Institute, Hand & Upper Extremity Surgery, Philadelphia, PA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rivlin
authors.affiliation: The Rothman Institute, Hand & Upper Extremity Surgery, Philadelphia, PA.
authors.forename: Jonas L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Matzon
authors.affiliation: The Rothman Institute, Hand & Upper Extremity Surgery, Philadelphia, PA.
authors.forename: Mitchell
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maltenfort
authors.affiliation: The Rothman Institute, Hand & Upper Extremity Surgery, Philadelphia, PA.
authors.forename: Pedro K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Beredjiklian
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001860:Bone Plates; D005260:Female; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011885:Radius Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014954:Wrist Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery
keywords: Soong classification; Volar plate position; distal radius fracture