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Published in: Skeletal Radiology 8/2012

01-08-2012 | Scientific Article

Diffusion tensor imaging of the median nerve: intra-, inter-reader agreement, and agreement between two software packages

Authors: Roman Guggenberger, Daniel Nanz, Gilbert Puippe, Kaspar Rufibach, Lawrence M. White, Marshall S. Sussman, Gustav Andreisek

Published in: Skeletal Radiology | Issue 8/2012

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Abstract

Objective

To assess intra-, inter-reader agreement, and the agreement between two software packages for magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) measurements of the median nerve.

Materials and methods

Fifteen healthy volunteers (seven men, eight women; mean age, 31.2 years) underwent DTI of both wrists at 1.5 T. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of the median nerve were measured by three readers using two commonly used software packages. Measurements were repeated by two readers after 6 weeks. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and Bland-Altman analysis were used for statistical analysis.

Results

ICCs for intra-reader agreement ranged from 0.87 to 0.99, for inter-reader agreement from 0.62 to 0.83, and between the two software packages from 0.63 to 0.82. Bland-Altman analysis showed no differences for intra- and inter-reader agreement and agreement between software packages.

Conclusion

The intra-, inter-reader, and agreement between software packages for DTI measurements of the median nerve were moderate to substantial suggesting that user- and software-dependent factors contribute little to variance in DTI measurements.
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Metadata
Title
Diffusion tensor imaging of the median nerve: intra-, inter-reader agreement, and agreement between two software packages
Authors
Roman Guggenberger
Daniel Nanz
Gilbert Puippe
Kaspar Rufibach
Lawrence M. White
Marshall S. Sussman
Gustav Andreisek
Publication date
01-08-2012
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Skeletal Radiology / Issue 8/2012
Print ISSN: 0364-2348
Electronic ISSN: 1432-2161
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-011-1310-4

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