Journal
ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY
Volume 36, Issue 5, Pages 712-718Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC
DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2010.02.008
Keywords
Ultrasonography; Polycystic ovaries; Follicle count; Inter-observer agreement; Intra-observer agreement; Reliability
Funding
- Strategic Training Initiative in Research in Reproductive Health Sciences (STIRRHS)
- Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation Fellowship (SHRF) Award
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Fellowship Award (Regional Partnership Program)
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Poor reliability has been reported when counting the total number of follicles in polycystic ovaries using conventional two-dimensional (2-D) ultrasound viewing methods. In the current study, we report good reliability in follicle counts when observers imposed a programmable grid system over the viewing window. Four observers estimated total follicle counts in 45 ovarian ultrasound scans by compartmentalizing the ovary into 9 to 12 grid sections and performing focused follicle counts per section. The mean number of follicles counted per ovary was 44.6 +/- 2.3. The level of inter-observer agreement when making follicle counts was 0.82 and total follicle counts did not differ among observers. The level of intra-observer agreement was 0.93 which further corroborated the utility of this method for making dependable follicle counts. In summary, the ability to obtain reproducible follicle counts will help to establish reliable diagnostic criteria for polycystic ovarian morphology. (E-mail: MEL245@cornell.edu) (c) 2010 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology.
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