Ultrasound imaging: intraexaminer and interexaminer reliability for multifidus muscle thickness assessment in adults aged 60 to 85 years versus younger adults.

STUDY
DESIGN: Intraexaminer and interexaminer, within- and between-day reliability study.
OBJECTIVES: To compare the intraexaminer and interexaminer procedural reliability of ultrasound imaging (USI) thickness measurements of the lumbar multifidus muscle at rest and during a contralateral lower-limb lift (CLL) between older (60-85 years of age) and younger (18-40 years of age) adults.
BACKGROUND: Among younger adults, USI has been shown to be reliable and valid for assessing multifidus thickness. Older adults present with age-related changes that may impact assessment. To our knowledge, no USI studies have focused on establishing reliability for multifidus thickness assessments in older adults.
METHODS: Two examiners performed assessments of lumbar multifidus thickness at rest and during a CLL in 30 older and 31 younger adults. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) with 95% confidence interval, standard error of measurement, 95% minimal detectable change for resting and during the CLL, and percent thickness change were calculated.
RESULTS: Within-day interexaminer procedural reliability for multifidus thickness measurements was similar among younger (ICC = 0.90-0.92) and older adults (ICC = 0.86-0.90), as was between-day intraexaminer and interexaminer reliability (younger adults, ICC = 0.84-0.94; older adults, ICC = 0.86-0.93). Throughout, estimates of percent thickness change were inconsistent (ICC = 0.31-0.86), and standard errors of measurement and minimal detectable changes were larger for older adults.
CONCLUSION: Ultrasound imaging reliability for measurements of multifidus thickness at rest and during a CLL among older adults is consistent with previously published findings for younger adults. Among older adults, it may be preferable to have a single examiner conduct USI assessments.