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Volume 11
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10.3390/app11199247
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Article

Influence of Examiners’ Experience and Region of Interest Location on Semiquantitative Elastography Validity and Reliability

by
Juan Antonio Valera-Calero
1,*,
César Fernández-de-las-Peñas
2,3,
Tomás Fernández-Rodríguez
1,
José Luis Arias-Buría
2,3,
Umut Varol
4 and
Gracia María Gallego-Sendarrubias
1
1
Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health, Universidad Camilo José Cela, Villanueva de la Cañada, 28692 Madrid, Spain
2
Department of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, 28922 Madrid, Spain
3
Cátedra Institucional en Docencia, Clínica e Investigación en Fisioterapia: Terapia, Manual, Punción Seca y Ejercicio Terapéutico, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, 28922 Madrid, Spain
4
IE School of Human Sciences and Technology, IE Business School, 28006 Madrid, Spain
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(19), 9247; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11199247
Submission received: 16 September 2021 / Revised: 28 September 2021 / Accepted: 2 October 2021 / Published: 5 October 2021
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Imaging Techniques for Biomedical Applications)
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Abstract

Semi-quantitative elastography is a promising imaging technique to evaluate tissue stiffness differences, providing data regarding relative stiffness differences between two targets. The aims of this study were to assess the validity, inter-examiner reliability and variability of semi-quantitative elastography for calculating strain ratios (SR) in a homogeneous gel phantom in different locations within the image. A diagnostic accuracy study was performed in a homogeneous stiffness phantom. Four examiners participated (two novice and two experienced). Each examiner assessed the SR in two locations. Difference between examiners, variability of measurements, SR error and absolute error, mean error of the measurements and coefficient of variation were calculated. The agreement between examiners, validity and variability of measurements were higher in the central area than the lateral areas of the images. Thus, the experience of the examiner was relevant for the concordance of the measurements in the lateral areas of the images (SR difference of 0.14 ± 0.05; p < 0.001), but not for the central area (SR difference of 0.05 ± 0.02; p > 0.05). Our data suggested that semi-quantitative elastography is an accurate tool for assessing small magnitude stiffness differences within the same image in central areas, but the experience of the examiner is a determinant factor.
Keywords: ultrasound imaging; elastography; validity; reliability; calibration ultrasound imaging; elastography; validity; reliability; calibration

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MDPI and ACS Style

Valera-Calero, J.A.; Fernández-de-las-Peñas, C.; Fernández-Rodríguez, T.; Arias-Buría, J.L.; Varol, U.; Gallego-Sendarrubias, G.M. Influence of Examiners’ Experience and Region of Interest Location on Semiquantitative Elastography Validity and Reliability. Appl. Sci. 2021, 11, 9247. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11199247

AMA Style

Valera-Calero JA, Fernández-de-las-Peñas C, Fernández-Rodríguez T, Arias-Buría JL, Varol U, Gallego-Sendarrubias GM. Influence of Examiners’ Experience and Region of Interest Location on Semiquantitative Elastography Validity and Reliability. Applied Sciences. 2021; 11(19):9247. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11199247

Chicago/Turabian Style

Valera-Calero, Juan Antonio, César Fernández-de-las-Peñas, Tomás Fernández-Rodríguez, José Luis Arias-Buría, Umut Varol, and Gracia María Gallego-Sendarrubias. 2021. "Influence of Examiners’ Experience and Region of Interest Location on Semiquantitative Elastography Validity and Reliability" Applied Sciences 11, no. 19: 9247. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11199247

APA Style

Valera-Calero, J. A., Fernández-de-las-Peñas, C., Fernández-Rodríguez, T., Arias-Buría, J. L., Varol, U., & Gallego-Sendarrubias, G. M. (2021). Influence of Examiners’ Experience and Region of Interest Location on Semiquantitative Elastography Validity and Reliability. Applied Sciences, 11(19), 9247. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11199247

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