https://doi.org/10.5812/iranjradiol.99150

Cobb Angle Measurement Decision Support System of Radiography Images in Patients with Idiopathic Scoliosis

authors:

avatar Nazila Moftian ORCID 1 , avatar Taha Samad Soltani ORCID 2 , avatar Zahra Salahzadeh ORCID 3 , avatar Hojjat Hossein Pourfeizi 4 , avatar Yousef Gheibi 5 , avatar Amir Fazlollahi 6 , avatar Peyman Rezaei Hachesu ORCID 2 , *

Department of Health Information Technology, Faculty of Management and Medical Informatics, Student Research Committee (SRC),Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Department of Health Information Technology, Faculty of Management and Medical Informatics, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
Australian eHealth research center, Health and Biosecurity, CSIRO, Brisbane, Australia
Iranian Journal of Radiology: Vol.16, issue Special Issue; e99150
published online: December 8, 2019
article type: Abstract
received: October 26, 2019
accepted: December 8, 2019

how to cite: Moftian N, Samad Soltani T, Salahzadeh Z , Hossein Pourfeizi H, Gheibi Y , et al. Cobb Angle Measurement Decision Support System of Radiography Images in Patients with Idiopathic Scoliosis. I J Radiol. 2019;16(Special Issue):e99150. https://doi.org/10.5812/iranjradiol.99150.

Abstract

Background:

Scoliosis is a three-dimensional deformity of the spine that is commonly assessed through measuring the Cobb angle.

Objectives:

In this study, a Cobb angle measurement decision support system (CaMDSS) was presented to provide a repeatable and reproducible procedure for Cobb angle measurement in idiopathic scoliosis patients.

Methods:

We used the OpenCV and the Numpy library for image processing and system design. A series of 98 anterior-posterior radiographs from patients diagnosed with idiopathic scoliosis were used to assess the repeatability and reproducibility of CaMDSS. Five independent observers performed the measurements, and each image was analyzed by each observer three times with a minimum interval of two weeks between measurements. Both the intra- and inter-observer reliability were obtained using the single measure intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) value. The mean absolute difference (MAD) and the standard error measurement (SEM) were calculated for all corresponding intra- and inter-observer reliability estimates.

Results:

Statistical results for the inter-observer analysis showed that the MAD between manual and CaMDSS was less than 3º, and the ICCs ranged from 0.94 to 0.99. The combined SEM between all five observers for intra-observer measurements of the manual method and CaMDSS was 1.79º and 1.27º, respectively. The inter-observer reliability of CaMDSS was excellent as the ICC value of 0.97 with 95% CI was obtained. The CaMDSS mean absolute difference was 2.18 ± 2.01 degrees.

Conclusion:

Our study showed CaMDSS was an efficient and reliable method to assess the scoliotic curvature in Thoraco-Lumbar standing radiographs with the possibility of expediting clinic visits, ensuring the reliability of calculation, and decreasing the patient’s exposure to radiation.