Reliability of MRI assessment of supraspinatus tendinopathy

M Sein, J Walton, J Linklater, C harris, T Dugal, R Appleyard, B Kirkbride, D Kuah and G Murrell.

The aim of the study was to investigate the interobserver and intraobserver reliability of the interpretation of MRIs for supraspinatus tendinosis.  In the Interobserver trial the MRIs of 52 athletes' shoulders were viewed by 3 observers on one occaision within a 2 month period.  All 52 images were viewed by the most experienced musculosketeal radiologist on 3 different occaisions on separate day without access to the previous reports.  Supraspinatus tendinosis was graded using a modified 4-point scale from 0-3.  The results showed that grading of supraspinatus tendinosis was reliable (ICC 0.85) when assessed by a single well trained observer.  Interobserver reliability was only fair to good (ICC 0.55).  The authors concluded that reliability of assessment of supraspinatus tendinosis was much greater in more experienced radiologists.

British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2007, 41, e9

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