Reliability of inter-recti distance measurement on ultrasound images captured by novice examiners

• Published in: Physiotherapy theory and practice pp. 1 - 9
• Main Authors: Chmielewska, Daria, Cebula, Maciej, Gnat, Rafał, Rudek-Zeprzałka, Magdalena, Gruszczyńska, Katarzyna, Baron, Jan, Opala-Berdzik, Agnieszka
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 11.09.2023
• ISSN: 0959-3985; 1532-5040
• DOI: 10.1080/09593985.2023.2255897

BACKGROUNDWith the increased interest in inter-recti distance measurement using ultrasound imaging in physiotherapy, there is a question of measurement reliability, and the importance of the examiner's experience. PURPOSEThe study aimed to investigate the reliability of inter-recti distance measurement in a DICOM viewer software by an experienced radiologist. For the measurement, the radiologist used linea alba images captured by two physiotherapists who were novice examiners. METHODSUltrasound images were acquired by two novice examiners on repeated occasions 7 days apart (sessions A and B) in 28 nulliparous women at supraumbilical, umbilical, and infraumbilical locations along linea alba. RESULTSExcellent intra-examiner reliability of inter-recti distance measurements was shown at the supraumbilical and umbilical levels (ICC2,k = 0.941-0.983) with minimal detectable change (MDC95) ranging from 1.31 mm to 2.29 mm. Infraumbilical measurements had good to excellent reliability (ICC2,k = 0.894-0.972) with MDC95 ranging from 0.33 mm to 0.72 mm. Session A inter-examiner reliability was excellent for the mean measurements of two, three, four, and five images taken at each location (ICC2,k = 0.913-0.954) with MDC95 ranging from 0.47 mm to 2.96 mm. Session B inter-examiner reliability was excellent for the mean measurements of two, three, four, and five images taken at the supraumbilical and umbilical (ICC2,k = 0.94-0.98), MDC95 ranging from 1.38 mm to 2.58 mm and good (ICC2,k ≥ 0.81) with MDC95 ranging from 0.72 mm to 0.80 mm at the infraumbilical locations. CONCLUSIONNovice examiners were able to capture good-quality ultrasound images of the linea alba that allowed for good to excellent intra- and inter-examiner reliability.