BACKGROUND: Computed tomography (CT) has become a widely accepted adjunct imaging tool in the preoperative evaluation of complex intra-articular distal radius fractures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of CT scanning compared with plain X-rays on the choice of intervention in complex distal radius fractures. METHODS: Five orthopaedic surgeons were given the de-identified plain films (AP, lateral and oblique) of 20 closed complex intra-articular distal radius fractures (AO23-C), randomly selected from our institution's prospectively maintained fracture database. Each surgeon individually selected a management option for each patient from a series of five interventions, ranked in increasing level of invasiveness. The same patients' CT scans (in randomized order) were blindly reviewed after a 1-week interval by the same clinicians with the same management options again offered. Kappa statistic was used to measure the intra-observer agreement between X-ray and CT decisions, and inter-observer agreement within each modality. RESULTS: The intra-observer agreement on management between X-rays alone versus CT scan was poor, with an average kappa score of 0.038. Inter-observer agreement based on X-ray alone was higher than that based on CT alone. Regression analysis indicated a trend towards a slightly higher level of invasiveness when the management decision was based on the CT compared with plain X-rays. CONCLUSION: There is a very poor intra- and inter-rater agreement between decision-making based on X-ray and on CT. Decision-making based on CT could increase the level of invasiveness in the surgical management of complex distal radius fractures.
BACKGROUND: Computed tomography (CT) has become a widely accepted adjunct imaging tool in the preoperative evaluation of complex intra-articular distal radius fractures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of CT scanning compared with plain X-rays on the choice of intervention in complex distal radius fractures. METHODS: Five orthopaedic surgeons were given the de-identified plain films (AP, lateral and oblique) of 20 closed complex intra-articular distal radius fractures (AO23-C), randomly selected from our institution's prospectively maintained fracture database. Each surgeon individually selected a management option for each patient from a series of five interventions, ranked in increasing level of invasiveness. The same patients' CT scans (in randomized order) were blindly reviewed after a 1-week interval by the same clinicians with the same management options again offered. Kappa statistic was used to measure the intra-observer agreement between X-ray and CT decisions, and inter-observer agreement within each modality. RESULTS: The intra-observer agreement on management between X-rays alone versus CT scan was poor, with an average kappa score of 0.038. Inter-observer agreement based on X-ray alone was higher than that based on CT alone. Regression analysis indicated a trend towards a slightly higher level of invasiveness when the management decision was based on the CT compared with plain X-rays. CONCLUSION: There is a very poor intra- and inter-rater agreement between decision-making based on X-ray and on CT. Decision-making based on CT could increase the level of invasiveness in the surgical management of complex distal radius fractures.
Authors: Y V Kleinlugtenbelt; K Madden; S R Groen; S J Ham; P Kloen; R Haverlag; M P Simons; M Bhandari; J C Goslings; V A B Scholtes; R W Poolman Journal: Strategies Trauma Limb Reconstr Date: 2017-04-24
Authors: Y V Kleinlugtenbelt; M Hoekstra; S J Ham; P Kloen; R Haverlag; M P Simons; M Bhandari; J C Goslings; R W Poolman; V A B Scholtes Journal: Bone Joint Res Date: 2015-12 Impact factor: 5.853