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Within and between observer agreement on ultrasonic evaluation of bovine ovarian structures
Author(s) -
LEAN IJ,
ABE N.,
DUGGAN S.,
KINGSFORD N.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
australian veterinary journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.382
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1751-0813
pISSN - 0005-0423
DOI - 10.1111/j.1751-0813.1992.tb09891.x
Subject(s) - kappa , corpus luteum , ultrasound , cohen's kappa , dissection (medical) , predictive value , follicle , ovary , medicine , biology , nuclear medicine , radiology , mathematics , statistics , geometry
SUMMARY: A diagnostic ultrasound unit with a 5 MHz probe was used to examine ovarian structures in vitro from 32 reproductive tracts obtained at slaughter from young cows. Agreement between and within observers, and between observers and dissection results was evaluated using the kappa statistic. Agreement was high (kappa from 0.531 to 0.969) for all evaluations of corpora lutea. The sensitivity, specificity and predictive value of both positive and negative findings for presence of a corpus luteum was > 0.9. Agreement between and within observers was little better than chance for follicies measuring 4 to <6 mm and for follicies measuring 6 to <10 mm. However, agreement between observers and dissection results indicated that observers could detect follicies 4 to <6 mm and 6 to <10 mm (kappa 0.301 to 0.731 and 0.414 to 0.612, respectively). Kappa values within and between observers and between observers and dissection results for observations of follicies measuring 10 mm were almost all >0.4 indicating that large follicies can be readily detected using ultrasound. It is suggested that further validation of ultrasound methods is needed to determine whether follicies measuring <4 mm can be accurately identified, and whether follicies can be accurately identified and monitored over a number of days. The ultrasound unit was useful for detecting the presence of corpora lutea and follicies. However, agreement between and within observers on the presence of follicies measuring <10 mm was poor.