Open AccessReliability of the Proposed International Classification of High‐Resolution Computed Tomography for Occupational and Environmental Respiratory Diseases
Author(s) -
Suganuma Narufumi,
Kusaka Yukinori,
Hering Kurt G.,
Vehmas Tapio,
Kraus Thomas,
Arakawa Hiroaki,
Parker John E.,
Kivisaari Leena,
Letourneux Marc,
Gevenois Pierre A.,
Tuengerthal Siegfreud,
Crane Michael D.,
Shida Hisao,
Akira Masanori,
Henry Daniel A.,
Nakajima Yasuo,
Hiraga Yohmei,
Itoh Harumi,
Hosoda Yutaka
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of occupational health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.664
H-Index - 59
ISSN - 1348-9585
DOI - 10.1539/joh.l8030
Subject(s) - reliability (semiconductor) , computed tomography , resolution (logic) , high resolution computed tomography , medicine , environmental health , computer science , radiology , artificial intelligence , physics , power (physics) , quantum mechanics
Reliability of the Proposed International Classification of High‐Resolution Computed Tomography for Occupational and Environmental Respiratory Diseases: Narufumi S uganuma , et al . Department of Environmental Medicine, Kochi Medical SchoolPurpose We have developed a classification of high‐resolution computed tomography (HRCT) images for screening, surveillance and epidemiological studies of respiratory diseases caused by occupational and environmental factors. The proposed classification consists of three parts: a guideline explaining the elements of the classification scheme, a reading sheet, and reference films to aid in assessing thin‐section CT films. We assessed the reliability of the proposed classification system by blinded, independent trial reading. Materials and Methods Seven independent radiologists and pulmonologists performed a trial reading to measure the reliability of the classification system using HRCT films from 27 pneumoconiosis patients and 7 normal controls. Results The agreement was moderate to good for rounded opacities (weighted κ=0.68 and 0.64), irregular opacities (0.59, 0.48), honeycombing (0.65, 0.47), emphysema (0.76, 0.62) and large opacities (0.48, 0.52). Ground glass opacities (0.16, 0.20) showed poor to fair agreement. Intra‐reader agreement of each of the seven readers was moderate to good (mean: weighted κ=0.52–0.80) for parenchymal findings, but the agreement was relatively low (mean weighted κ=0.52) for ground glass opacities. Conclusion The proposed classification is able to describe early dust‐related fibrotic changes and provide a semi‐quantitative description of the HRCT features of major fibrotic changes in the parenchyma and pleura. Reliability, as measured by inter‐reader agreement, was satisfactory.