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Reliability of a novel, semi‐quantitative scale for classification of structural brain magnetic resonance imaging in children with cerebral palsy
Author(s) -
Fiori Simona,
Cioni Giovanni,
Klingels Katrjin,
Ortibus Els,
Van Gestel Leen,
Rose Stephen,
Boyd Roslyn N,
Feys Hilde,
Guzzetta Andrea
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
developmental medicine and child neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.658
H-Index - 143
eISSN - 1469-8749
pISSN - 0012-1622
DOI - 10.1111/dmcn.12457
Subject(s) - intra rater reliability , inter rater reliability , magnetic resonance imaging , gross motor function classification system , psychology , reliability (semiconductor) , kappa , rating scale , cerebral palsy , functional magnetic resonance imaging , lesion , corpus callosum , nuclear medicine , medicine , neuroscience , radiology , developmental psychology , psychiatry , mathematics , physics , power (physics) , quantum mechanics , geometry
Aim To describe the development of a novel rating scale for classification of brain structural magnetic resonance imaging ( MRI ) in children with cerebral palsy ( CP ) and to assess its interrater and intrarater reliability. Method The scale consists of three sections. Section 1 contains descriptive information about the patient and MRI . Section 2 contains the graphical template of brain hemispheres onto which the lesion is transposed. Section 3 contains the scoring system for the quantitative analysis of the lesion characteristics, grouped into different global scores and subscores that assess separately side, regions, and depth. A larger interrater and intrarater reliability study was performed in 34 children with CP (22 males, 12 females; mean age at scan of 9y 5mo [ SD 3y 3mo], range 4y–16y 11mo; G ross M otor F unction C lassification S ystem level I , [ n =22], II [ n =10], and level III [ n =2]). Results Very high interrater and intrarater reliability of the total score was found with indices above 0.87. Reliability coefficients of the lobar and hemispheric subscores ranged between 0.53 and 0.95. Global scores for hemispheres, basal ganglia, brain stem, and corpus callosum showed reliability coefficients above 0.65. Interpretation This study presents the first visual, semi‐quantitative scale for classification of brain structural MRI in children with CP . The high degree of reliability of the scale supports its potential application for investigating the relationship between brain structure and function and examining treatment response according to brain lesion severity in children with CP .