Massimo Bellomi1, Francesca De Piano2, Eleonora Ancona3, Alessandra Ferla Lodigiani4, Giuseppe Curigliano5, Sara Raimondi6, Lorenzo Preda7. 1. Department of Radiological Science and Radiation Therapy, IEO European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy; Department of Oncology, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy. Electronic address: massimo.bellomi@ieo.it. 2. Università degli Studi di Milano, Postgraduation School in Radiodiagnostics, Milan, Italy. Electronic address: francesca.depiano@ieo.it. 3. Università degli Studi di Milano, Postgraduation School in Radiodiagnostics, Milan, Italy. Electronic address: eleonora.ancona@ieo.it. 4. Università degli Studi di Milano, Postgraduation School in Radiodiagnostics, Milan, Italy; Present address: Department of Imaging, CDI Centro Diagnostico Italiano, Via Simone Saint Bon, Milan, Italy. Electronic address: aferlalodigiani@gmail.com. 5. New Drugs and Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies Division, IEO European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy. Electronic address: giuseppe.curigliano@ieo.it. 6. Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, IEO European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy. Electronic address: sara.raimondi@ieo.it. 7. Department of Clinical-Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia and Division of Radiology, National Center of Oncological Hadrontherapy (CNAO Foundation), Italy. Electronic address: lorenzo.preda@cnao.it.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is the evaluation of inter-observer variability in the measurement of liver metastases according to RECIST and its influence on response classification. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 100 radiologists measured liver target lesions, on pre- and post-chemotherapy CT scans of three patients. Each observer filled out a questionnaire about his personal and work features. The evaluations of a well experienced radiologist, considered as "the gold standard", were compared to those taken by the observers. The percentage of the observers in agreement with the reviewer, in terms of the response category and in terms of inter-observer variability, was calculated for each patient. RESULTS: The percentage of the inter-observer agreement was elevated. Most of the observers in agreement with the reviewer were senior radiologists, while those who disagreed were junior radiologist, but this result did not reach a statistical significance. More than 30% of observers disagreed with the reviewer at least in one of the three cases. CONCLUSIONS: RECIST measurements are reproducible on a large and heterogeneous population of radiologists. Age and expertise of the radiologist remain the most critical factors: this suggests a revision by well-experienced radiologists in clinical trials.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is the evaluation of inter-observer variability in the measurement of liver metastases according to RECIST and its influence on response classification. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 100 radiologists measured liver target lesions, on pre- and post-chemotherapy CT scans of three patients. Each observer filled out a questionnaire about his personal and work features. The evaluations of a well experienced radiologist, considered as "the gold standard", were compared to those taken by the observers. The percentage of the observers in agreement with the reviewer, in terms of the response category and in terms of inter-observer variability, was calculated for each patient. RESULTS: The percentage of the inter-observer agreement was elevated. Most of the observers in agreement with the reviewer were senior radiologists, while those who disagreed were junior radiologist, but this result did not reach a statistical significance. More than 30% of observers disagreed with the reviewer at least in one of the three cases. CONCLUSIONS: RECIST measurements are reproducible on a large and heterogeneous population of radiologists. Age and expertise of the radiologist remain the most critical factors: this suggests a revision by well-experienced radiologists in clinical trials.
Authors: Laure Fournier; Lioe-Fee de Geus-Oei; Daniele Regge; Daniela-Elena Oprea-Lager; Melvin D'Anastasi; Luc Bidaut; Tobias Bäuerle; Egesta Lopci; Giovanni Cappello; Frederic Lecouvet; Marius Mayerhoefer; Wolfgang G Kunz; Joost J C Verhoeff; Damiano Caruso; Marion Smits; Ralf-Thorsten Hoffmann; Sofia Gourtsoyianni; Regina Beets-Tan; Emanuele Neri; Nandita M deSouza; Christophe M Deroose; Caroline Caramella Journal: Front Oncol Date: 2022-01-10 Impact factor: 6.244