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Conventional and parametric kidney scintigrams - reproducibility of semiquantitative image evaluation
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Abstract
MATERIAL AND METHODS: The results of 98 dynamic kidney scintigraphic series were evaluated, obtained from examination of 44 patients (20 males, 24 females) with nephrolithiasis, who had been treated by means of lithotripsy. The semiquantitative assessment involved conventional renoscintigraphic images obtained from summation of scintigraphic serial records in the secretory phase, and parametric clearance images. A 5-level score was applied for assessment of both types of images, based upon numbers of detected defects of the regional function (0 - no defects; 1, 2, 3 - for 1, 2 or 3 defects, and 4 for higher numbers). Altogether, 196 kidney images were evaluated. The assessment was performed independently by 2 observers: A - an experienced specialist in nuclear medicine, who evaluated the images twice, and B - a resident physician with limited experience in the field.
RESULTS: The agreement between the two evaluations by the specialist (intra-observer test) reached a level of 96% for conventional images and 90% for the parametric ones. In the inter-observer test, full agreement reached the levels of 84% and 71% for conventional and parametric images, respectively. If ± 1 degree of the image score was taken as factual agreement, the intra-observer concordance reached 100%, and for inter-observer comparison, the agreement reached 99% and 97% for conventional and parametric images, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: The concordance of image assessment for conventional and parametric images is very good. In observations by two physicians, a somewhat closer agreement was reached for conventional than for parametric images; the difference between the two series of image assessments was small.
Abstract
MATERIAL AND METHODS: The results of 98 dynamic kidney scintigraphic series were evaluated, obtained from examination of 44 patients (20 males, 24 females) with nephrolithiasis, who had been treated by means of lithotripsy. The semiquantitative assessment involved conventional renoscintigraphic images obtained from summation of scintigraphic serial records in the secretory phase, and parametric clearance images. A 5-level score was applied for assessment of both types of images, based upon numbers of detected defects of the regional function (0 - no defects; 1, 2, 3 - for 1, 2 or 3 defects, and 4 for higher numbers). Altogether, 196 kidney images were evaluated. The assessment was performed independently by 2 observers: A - an experienced specialist in nuclear medicine, who evaluated the images twice, and B - a resident physician with limited experience in the field.
RESULTS: The agreement between the two evaluations by the specialist (intra-observer test) reached a level of 96% for conventional images and 90% for the parametric ones. In the inter-observer test, full agreement reached the levels of 84% and 71% for conventional and parametric images, respectively. If ± 1 degree of the image score was taken as factual agreement, the intra-observer concordance reached 100%, and for inter-observer comparison, the agreement reached 99% and 97% for conventional and parametric images, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: The concordance of image assessment for conventional and parametric images is very good. In observations by two physicians, a somewhat closer agreement was reached for conventional than for parametric images; the difference between the two series of image assessments was small.
Keywords
parametric clearance kidney image; conventional kidney image; inter- and intra-observer concordance
Title
Conventional and parametric kidney scintigrams - reproducibility of semiquantitative image evaluation
Journal
Issue
Pages
22-25
Published online
2008-01-15
Page views
611
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999
Bibliographic record
Nucl. Med. Rev 2008;11(1):22-25.
Keywords
parametric clearance kidney image
conventional kidney image
inter- and intra-observer concordance
Authors
Izabela Frieske
Ewa Pietrzak-Stelmasiak
Małgorzata Bieńkiewicz
Marian J. Surma
Jacek Kuśmierek