OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to describe a method of reducing interobserver variation associated with the visual quantitation of high-resolution computed tomographic (HRCT) signs of airways and interstitial lung disease (ILD). METHODS: The HRCT scans of 2 cohorts of patients with airways disease (n = 144) and ILD (n = 109) were evaluated by 2 observers. Selected signs of airways disease were evaluated: (1) bronchial wall thickness and (2) the extent of the decreased attenuation. In the ILD group, the total extent of disease was scored. These 3 HRCT signs were scored by 2 observers independently using a standard method. The observers rescored the CT scans with a new scoring system (continuous learning method, CLM). RESULTS: Observer agreement for CT signs was superior for CLM: bronchial wall thickness κw increased from 0.51 to 0.76; for decreased attenuation, κw increased from 0.34 to 0.81; and for ILD extent, κw increased from 0.53 to 0.87. CONCLUSIONS: The CLM reduces noise from observer variation in studies that require visual quantitation of HRCT signs of lung disease.
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to describe a method of reducing interobserver variation associated with the visual quantitation of high-resolution computed tomographic (HRCT) signs of airways and interstitial lung disease (ILD). METHODS: The HRCT scans of 2 cohorts of patients with airways disease (n = 144) and ILD (n = 109) were evaluated by 2 observers. Selected signs of airways disease were evaluated: (1) bronchial wall thickness and (2) the extent of the decreased attenuation. In the ILD group, the total extent of disease was scored. These 3 HRCT signs were scored by 2 observers independently using a standard method. The observers rescored the CT scans with a new scoring system (continuous learning method, CLM). RESULTS: Observer agreement for CT signs was superior for CLM: bronchial wall thickness κw increased from 0.51 to 0.76; for decreased attenuation, κw increased from 0.34 to 0.81; and for ILD extent, κw increased from 0.53 to 0.87. CONCLUSIONS: The CLM reduces noise from observer variation in studies that require visual quantitation of HRCT signs of lung disease.
Authors: D A Van den Heuvel; P A de Jong; P Zanen; H W van Es; J P van Heesewijk; M Spee; J C Grutters Journal: Eur Radiol Date: 2015-04-09 Impact factor: 5.315
Authors: Brian J Bartholmai; Sushravya Raghunath; Ronald A Karwoski; Teng Moua; Srinivasan Rajagopalan; Fabien Maldonado; Paul A Decker; Richard A Robb Journal: J Thorac Imaging Date: 2013-09 Impact factor: 3.000
Authors: Joseph Jacob; Leon Aksman; Nesrin Mogulkoc; Alex J Procter; Bahareh Gholipour; Gary Cross; Joseph Barnett; Christopher J Brereton; Mark G Jones; Coline H van Moorsel; Wouter van Es; Frouke van Beek; Marcel Veltkamp; Sujal R Desai; Eoin Judge; Teresa Burd; Maria Kokosi; Recep Savas; Selen Bayraktaroglu; Andre Altmann; Athol U Wells Journal: Thorax Date: 2020-04-28 Impact factor: 9.139