In vivo repeatability and reproducibility of the quantitative light-induced fluorescence method.

In vivo repeatability and reproducibility of the quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF) method were tested with respect to three variables: lesion area, and average and maximum changes in lesion fluorescence. To test the image-capturing stages, three analysts each captured images of 15 incipient smooth surface lesions in vivo, and the images were analysed by one of the analysts. To test the analytical stage of the method, three analysts analysed the images of 15 in vivo incipient smooth surface lesions. For the image-capturing stage, inter-examiner reliability showed an intra-class correlation coefficient (r) between 0.95 and 0.98. For the analytical stage, intra-examiner reliability for all three analysts showed a value of r between 0.93 and 0.99. Inter-examiner reliability showed a value of r between 0.95 and 0.99. It was concluded that the in vivo repeatability and reproducibility of the QLF method are excellent. Copyright 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel