Interobserver variation of colour duplex scanning of the popliteal,tibial and pedal arteries.

OBJECTIVES:to determine interobserver variation in the measurement of Peak Systolic Velocity (PSV) and grading of disease by means of Duplex scanning (DS) in the popliteal, tibial and pedal arteries. DESIGN:prospective validation study. MATERIALS:twenty-four consecutive patients with severe claudication (n=6), ischaemic rest pain (n=11) and tissue loss (n=7). METHODS:two vascular technologists independently examined the popliteal, tibial and pedal arteries. The PSV was recorded in 15 arterial segments that were graded with B-mode and Doppler parameters as fully patent, severely diseased or occluded. Concordance in PSV recordings was expressed as intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Agreement in artery assessment was expressed as weighted kappa-values. RESULTS:the ICC for PSV measurements was 0.90 (95% CI, 0.86 to 0.93) within the popliteal and tibial arteries and 0.64 (95% CI, 0.37 to 0.81) within the pedal arteries. Agreement for grading disease was good within the popliteal and tibial arteries (kappa 0.66, 95% CI, 0.58 to 0.74), and moderate within the pedal arteries (kappa 0.54, 95% CI 0.33 to 0.74). The presence of diabetes or stage of disease did not influence interobserver agreement. CONCLUSION:interobserver agreement of DS is good within the popliteal and tibial arteries and moderate within the pedal arteries.

Koelemay MJ ，Legemate DA ，van Gurp JA ，de Vos H ，Balm R ，Jacobs MJ ... -  《EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF VASCULAR AND ENDOVASCULAR SURGERY》

Interobserver variation in interpretation of arteriography and management of severe lower leg arterial disease.

arteriography is the reference standard for the assessment of the lower leg arteries in patients with severe lower limb ischaemia. Interobserver variation in arteriography interpretation may cause disparities with non-invasive imaging modalities. We determined interobserver variation in lower leg artery assessment with intra-arterial digital subtraction angiography (IaDSA) and subsequent patient management. iaDSA studies of patients evaluated for severe claudication (n =5) or critical ischaemia ( n =43). arteriograms were independently judged by four observers. The popliteal and tibial arteries were graded as fully patent, severely diseased, occluded or non-diagnostic. The dorsalis pedis, common and deep plantar artery were graded as directly, indirectly or not filling the pedal arch or non-diagnostic. Agreement on grading arteries was expressed as kappa-values. Treatment plans (conservative, PTA, surgery, amputation, non-diagnostic) proposed by each observer based on clinical information and iaDSA were compared. the rate of non-diagnostic judgements ranged from 1% in the popliteal to 22% in the pedal arteries. Overall agreement was good for grading the popliteal arteries (kappa=0.64), moderate for the tibial (kappa=0.47--0.54) and fair for the pedal arteries (kappa=0.39). Agreement was good to excellent for grading occluded or fully patent popliteal and tibial artery segments, and fair to moderate for grading severe disease. In 57% of cases at least 3 observers proposed identical treatment, which indicates fair overall agreement (kappa=0.33). interobserver agreement on iaDSA is good to determine occluded or fully patent popliteal or tibial arteries, but not for severe disease. This should be taken into account when other diagnostic modalities are compared with iaDSA. Evaluation of diagnostic modalities as concordance in treatment plans is flawed by interindividual variation.

Koelemay MJ ，Legemate DA ，Reekers JA ，Koedam NA ，Balm R ，Jacobs MJ ... -  《EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF VASCULAR AND ENDOVASCULAR SURGERY》

Colour duplex scanning and pulse-generated run-off for assessment of popliteal and cruropedal arteries before peripheral bypass surgery.

This prospective pilot study compared the diagnostic accuracy of duplex scanning and pulse-generated run-off (PGR) with intra-arterial digital subtraction angiography (IADSA) for assessment of popliteal, crural and pedal arteries, and explored the reliability of investigation with the combination of duplex scanning and PGR in patients who needed femorodistal reconstruction. In 23 limbs, 345 arterial segments were graded independently with duplex scanning and IADSA as normal, stenosed or occluded and compared using weighted kappa analysis. PGR was rated as good, poor or no run-off and compared with pedal arch patency on IADSA. Based on information derived from duplex scanning and PGR a vascular surgeon proposed treatment and the distal anastomosis site for bypass, which was compared with definitive treatment as determined by IADSA. Overall agreement between duplex scanning and IADSA for popliteal and crural arteries was moderate (kappa 0.47, 95 per cent confidence interval (c.i.) 0.39-0.55) with best agreement within the popliteal and proximal tibial arteries. Agreement within pedal arteries was fair (kappa 0.35, 95 per cent c.i. 0.17-0.53). PGR detected good run-off in five of 21 pedal arteries shown to be occluded on IADSA. In 16 of 23 patients treatment based on duplex scanning and PGR was identical to that based on IADSA. Eight of eleven femoropopliteal bypasses were predicted accurately. Operative strategy could have been based on investigation by duplex scanning and PGR in a substantial number of patients scheduled for femoropopliteal bypass surgery. Agreement between duplex scanning and IADSA within very distal arterial segments was fair.

Koelemay MJ ，Legemate DA ，van Gurp J ，Ponson AE ，Reekers JA ，Jacobs MJ ... -  《BRITISH JOURNAL OF SURGERY》

Interobserver variability in aortoiliac and femoropopliteal duplex scanning.

The interobserver variability of aortoiliac and femoropopliteal duplex scanning in peripheral arterial occlusive disease was assessed. Two experienced, independent vascular technologists investigated in random order 61 consecutive patients sent to the vascular laboratory for investigation of the aortoiliac or femoropopliteal arteries. In each aortoiliac vessel segment, the proximal, mid, and distal peak systolic velocities (PSVs) were measured, and corresponding PSV ratios were calculated. The superficial femoral artery was divided in 10-cm segments with a roll-centimeter taped from the upper patella margin. Interclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated as a means of appreciating the measurement variability of the PSV ratio values as a continuous variable and the Kappa value for the PSV ratio categories of less than 2.0, 2.0 through 3.0, more than 3.0, and occlusions. The overall ICC and Kappa values were 0.72 (95% CI, 0.63-0.79) and 0.53 for the aortoiliac tract and 0.85 (95% CI, 0.79-0.89) and 0.73 for the femoropopliteal tract. Agreement in the PSV ratio categories was 85% in the aortoiliac and 87% in the femoropopliteal tract. Interobserver variation increased markedly with increasing PSV ratio. In the PSV ratio category between 2.0 to 3.0, indicating a borderline stenosis, a substantial disagreement was found (aortoiliac, 1 of 8 agreement; femoropopliteal, 2 of 8 agreement). A moderate interobserver agreement was found in the duplex investigation of the aortoiliac and femoropopliteal arteries. One should be aware of this in clinical decision making, especially in cases of borderline stenoses. In these cases, repetition of the measurement or additional diagnostics is advocated.

Ubbink DT ，Fidler M ，Legemate DA 《JOURNAL OF VASCULAR SURGERY》

Value of color duplex sonography for evaluation of tibioperoneal arteries in patients with femoropopliteal obstruction: a prospective comparison with anterograde intraarterial digital subtraction angiography.

This study investigated the accuracy of color duplex sonography (CDS) compared with anterograde intraarterial digital subtraction angiography in the evaluation of the tibioperoneal arteries in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease. Fifty consecutive patients with femoropopliteal obstruction were examined immediately before planned percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. All CDS examinations were performed by one observer; the angiograms were interpreted independently by two readers (A1, A2). We compared agreement concerning judgement of the dominant crural artery (suitable for an eventual femorocrural bypass operation) and judgement of the severity of arterial lesions. Concerning judgement of the dominant artery, the interobserver agreement between the two readers of the angiograms was better (kappa value, 0.76) than the agreement between CDS versus A1 (0.61) and CDS versus A2 (0.56). However, the differences were not statistically significant. The results were independent (no significant differences in the kappa values) of the following criteria: presence of diabetes; clinical stage of peripheral arterial occlusive disease; kind of femoropopliteal obstruction; and status of the popliteal artery. Concerning the evaluation of the severity of arterial lesions, the kappa values were significantly higher (p < 0.05) for A1 versus A2 (posterior tibial, 0.87; anterior tibial, 0.79; peroneal, 0.52) than for CDS versus A1 (0.51; 0.46; 0.07) and CDS versus A2 (0.35; 0.38; -0.05). The sensitivity of CDS (vs A1 as reference) for detecting a hemodynamically relevant arterial lesion (stenosis or occlusion) was 100% in the posterior tibial artery, 78% in the anterior tibial artery, and 92% in the peroneal artery. Compared with intraarterial anterograde digital subtraction angiography, the value of CDS-with its currently used technology-for evaluation of the dominant lower leg artery suitable for an eventual femorocrural bypass operation in patients who have femoropopliteal obstruction is limited. It cannot replace an accurate preoperative angiogram for the routine clinical practice, and its use should be restricted to special cases (such as patients with a history of severe allergic reaction to contrast media or of severely impaired kidney function). CDS is also limited in the accurate judgement of the morphologic features of the runoff arteries in their full length in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease.

Larch E ，Minar E ，Ahmadi R ，Schnürer G ，Schneider B ，Stümpflen A ，Ehringer H ... -  《JOURNAL OF VASCULAR SURGERY》