OBJECTIVE: To assess the construct validity of the novel Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) ultrasound (US) semiquantitative scoring system for morphological lesions in major salivary glands by comparing it with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and unstimulated whole salivary flow rates (U-WSFRs) in patients with primary Sjögren syndrome (pSS). METHODS: Nine sonographers applied the OMERACT 0-3 grayscale scoring system for parotid (PGs) and submandibular glands (SMGs) in 11 patients with pSS who also had MRIs performed. These were evaluated by 2 radiologists using a semiquantitative 0-3 scoring system for morphological lesions. The agreement between US and MRI and the association between U-WSFRs and imaging structural lesions was determined. A score ≥ 2 for both US and MRI was defined as gland pathology. RESULTS: The prevalence of US morphological lesions in 11 patients with a score ≥ 2 was 58% for PGs and 76% for SMGs, and 46% and 41% for PGs and SMGs, respectively, for MRI. The agreement between OMERACT US scores and MRI scores was 73-91% (median 82%) in the right PG and 73-91% (median 91%) in the left PG, 55-91% (median 55%) in the right SMG and 55-82% (median 55%) in the left SMG. When relations between the presence of hyposalivation and an US score ≥ 2 were examined, agreement was 91-100% (median 83%) in both PGs and 55-91% (median 67%) in both SMGs. CONCLUSION: There is moderate to strong agreement between the OMERACT US and MRI scores for major salivary glands in patients with pSS. Similar agreement ratios were observed between the higher OMERACT US scores and presence of hyposalivation.
OBJECTIVES: To develop an Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) ultrasonography score for monitoring disease activity in giant cell arteritis (GCA) and evaluate its metric properties. METHODS: The OMERACT Instrument Selection Algorithm was followed. Forty-nine members of the OMERACT ultrasonography large vessel vasculitis working group were invited to seven Delphi rounds. An online reliability exercise was conducted using images of bilateral common temporal arteries, parietal and frontal branches as well as axillary arteries from 16 patients with GCA and 7 controls. Sensitivity to change and convergent construct validity were tested using data from a prospective cohort of patients with new GCA in which ultrasound-based intima-media thickness (IMT) measurements were conducted at weeks 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24. RESULTS: Agreement was obtained (92.7%) for the OMERACT GCA Ultrasonography Score (OGUS), calculated as follows: sum of IMT measured in every segment divided by the rounded cut-off values of IMTs in each segment. The resulting value is then divided by the number of segments available. Thirty-five members conducted the reliability exercise, the interrater intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for the OGUS was 0.72-0.84 and the median intrareader ICC was 0.91. The prospective cohort consisted of 52 patients. Sensitivity to change between baseline and each follow-up visit up to week 24 yielded standardised mean differences from -1.19 to -2.16, corresponding to large and very large magnitudes of change, respectively. OGUS correlated moderately with erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C reactive protein and Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score (corrcoeff 0.37-0.48). CONCLUSION: We developed a provisional OGUS for potential use in clinical trials.
- MeSH
- arteriae temporales diagnostické zobrazování MeSH
- intimomediální šíře tepenné stěny MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- obrovskobuněčná arteritida * diagnostické zobrazování MeSH
- prospektivní studie MeSH
- reprodukovatelnost výsledků MeSH
- ultrasonografie metody MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this exercise from the OMERACT Ultrasound subgroup on Sjögren's syndrome was to develop and assess the reliability of a consensus-based semiquantitative colour Doppler US scoring system for pathologic salivary gland vascularization in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). METHODS: Using the Delphi method, a colour Doppler semiquantitative scoring system for vascularization of bilateral parotid and submandibular glands was developed and tested in static images and on patients (9 pSS patients and 9 sonographers). Intra-reader and inter-reader reliability of grading the salivary glands were computed by weighted Cohen and Light's kappa analysis, respectively. RESULTS: The consensus-based semiquantitative score was: grade 0, no visible vascular signals; grade 1, focal, dispersed vascular signals; grade 2, diffuse vascular signals detected in <50% of the gland; grade 3, diffuse vascular signals in >50% of the gland. In static images, the intra- and inter-reader reliability showed excellent kappa values (95% CI) of 0.90 (0.87, 0.93) and 0.80 (0.74, 0.84), respectively, for all four salivary glands together. In patients, the intra- and inter-reader reliability for all four salivary glands together was kappa = 0.84 (0.73, 0.92) and 0.70 (0.64, 0.76), respectively. CONCLUSION: The consensus-based colour Doppler US scoring for the evaluation of salivary gland vascularization in pSS showed a good inter-reader reliability and excellent intra-reader reliability in static images and in patients. The clinical application of the developed scoring system should be tested in clinical settings.
- MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- podčelistní slinná žláza diagnostické zobrazování MeSH
- reprodukovatelnost výsledků MeSH
- Sjögrenův syndrom * diagnostické zobrazování patologie MeSH
- slinné žlázy diagnostické zobrazování patologie MeSH
- ultrasonografie metody MeSH
- zánět patologie MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
OBJECTIVES: To define chronic ultrasound lesions of the axillary artery (AA) in long-standing giant cell arteritis (GCA) and to evaluate the reliability of the new ultrasound definition in a web-based exercise. METHODS: A structured Delphi, involving an expert panel of the Large Vessel Vasculitis subgroup of the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) Ultrasound Working Group was carried out. The reliability of the new definition was tested in a 2-round web-based exercise involving 23 experts and using 50 still images each from AA of long-standing and acute GCA patients, as well as 50 images from healthy individuals. RESULTS: The final OMERACT ultrasound definition of chronic changes was based on measurement and appearance of the intima-media complex. The overall reliability of the new definition for chronic ultrasound changes in longstanding GCA of the AA was good to excellent with Light's kappa values of 0.79-0.80 for inter-reader reliability and mean Light's-kappa of 0.88 for intra-reader reliability. The mean inter-rater and intra-rater agreements were 86-87% and 92%, respectively. Good reliabilities were observed comparing the vessels with longstanding versus acute GCA with a mean agreement and kappa values of 81% and 0.63, respectively. CONCLUSION: The new OMERACT ultrasound definition for chronic vasculitis of the AA in GCA revealed a good to excellent inter- and intra-reader reliability in a web-based exercise of experts.
BACKGROUND: To assess the reliability of the consensually agreed US definitions of major salivary gland lesions and the US scoring system for salivary gland assessment in patients with SS. METHODS: Nine experienced sonographers scanned and read the US images of both parotid glands (PGs) and submandibular glands (SMGs) in eight patients with primary and secondary SS in two rounds. A consensually agreed four-grade semi-quantitative scoring was applied in B-mode for morphological lesions: grade 0, normal; grade 1, mild inhomogeneity without anechoic or hypoechoic areas; grade 2, moderate inhomogeneity with focal anechoic or hypoechoic areas; grade 3, severe inhomogeneity with diffuse an- or hypoechoic areas occupying the entire gland or fibrous gland. The presence or absence of typical SS lesions, i.e. the Sjögren's signature, was scored binary. Intra- and interreader reliabilities were computed using weighted and unweighted Cohen's and Light's κ coefficients. RESULTS: The mean prevalence of grades 0-3 in PG were 43, 17, 23 and 31% and 28, 14, 33 and 32% for the SMGs, respectively. The weighted κ for intrareader reliability ranged from 0.44 to 1 for grading and 0.64 to 1 for the Sjögren's signature of PG and 0.59 to 1 and -0.09 to 0.6 for SMGs, respectively. The interreader reliability κ for grading in PG was 0.62 (95% CI 0.47, 0.74) and for Sjögren's signature it was 0.36 (95% CI 0, 0.43); in SMG it was 0.62 (95% CI 0.47, 0.72) and 0.03 (95% CI 0, 0.07) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The consensually agreed novel US scoring system for major salivary gland lesions showed substantial intra- and interreader reliability in patients with SS. The reliability of the Sjögren's signature was moderate.
- MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- hodnocení výsledků zdravotní péče MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- parotis diagnostické zobrazování MeSH
- podčelistní slinná žláza diagnostické zobrazování MeSH
- reprodukovatelnost výsledků MeSH
- senioři MeSH
- Sjögrenův syndrom diagnostické zobrazování MeSH
- ultrasonografie MeSH
- Check Tag
- dospělí MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- senioři MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
OBJECTIVE: To develop ultrasound (US) definitions and a US novel scoring system for major salivary gland (SG) lesions in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) and to test their intrareader and inter-reader reliability using US video clips. METHODS: Twenty-five rheumatologists were subjected to a three-round, web-based Delphi process in order to agree on (1) definitions and scanning procedure of salivary gland ultrasonography (SGUS): parotid, submandibular and sublingual glands (PG, SMG and SLG); (2) definitions for the elementary SGUS lesions in patients with Sjögren's syndrome; (3) scoring system for grading changes. The experts rated the statements on a 1-5 Likert scale. In the second step, SGUS video clips of patients with pSS and non-pSS sicca cases were collected containing various spectrums of disease severity followed by an intrareader and inter-reader reliability exercise. Each video clip was evaluated according to the agreed definitions. RESULTS: Consensual definitions were developed after three Delphi rounds. Among the three selected SGs, US assessment of PGs and SMGs was agreed on. Agreement was reached to score only greyscale lesions and to focus on anechoic/hypoechoic foci in a semiquantitative matter or, if not possible on a qualitatively (present/absent) evaluation of fatty or fibrous lesions. Intrareader reliability for detecting and scoring these lesions was excellent (Cohen's kappa 0.81) and inter-reader reliability was good (Light's kappa 0.66). CONCLUSION: New definitions for developing a novel semiquantitative US score in patients with pSS were developed and tested on video clips. Inter-reader and intrareader reliabilities were good and excellent, respectively.
- MeSH
- delfská metoda MeSH
- interpretace obrazu počítačem normy MeSH
- konsensus MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- reprodukovatelnost výsledků MeSH
- senzitivita a specificita MeSH
- Sjögrenův syndrom diagnostické zobrazování MeSH
- slinné žlázy diagnostické zobrazování MeSH
- ultrasonografie metody normy MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- audiovizuální média MeSH
- časopisecké články MeSH
- validační studie MeSH
Objectives: To define the elementary ultrasound (US) lesions in giant cell arteritis (GCA) and to evaluate the reliability of the assessment of US lesions according to these definitions in a web-based reliability exercise. Methods: Potential definitions of normal and abnormal US findings of temporal and extracranial large arteries were retrieved by a systematic literature review. As a subsequent step, a structured Delphi exercise was conducted involving an expert panel of the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) US Large Vessel Vasculitis Group to agree definitions of normal US appearance and key elementary US lesions of vasculitis of temporal and extracranial large arteries. The reliability of these definitions on normal and abnormal blood vessels was tested on 150 still images and videos in a web-based reliability exercise. Results: Twenty-four experts participated in both Delphi rounds. From originally 25 statements, nine definitions were obtained for normal appearance, vasculitis and arteriosclerosis of cranial and extracranial vessels. The 'halo' and 'compression' signs were the key US lesions in GCA. The reliability of the definitions for normal temporal and axillary arteries, the 'halo' sign and the 'compression' sign was excellent with inter-rater agreements of 91-99% and mean kappa values of 0.83-0.98 for both inter-rater and intra-rater reliabilities of all 25 experts. Conclusions: The 'halo' and the 'compression' signs are regarded as the most important US abnormalities for GCA. The inter-rater and intra-rater agreement of the new OMERACT definitions for US lesions in GCA was excellent.
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
