The Computerized Measurement for the Radiological Severity of Hallux Valgus / 대한족부족관절학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To study the reliability of intra- and interobserver reliability in angular measurement of hallux valgus deformity by assessing hallux valgus angle (HVA) and the 1st to 2nd intermetatarsal angle (1-2 IMA) through using computerized system. MATERIALS AND METHODS:20 cases of moderate to severe hallux valgus patients were included in this study. With the standing anteroposterior view of foot, the HVA and 1-2 IMA were calculated by computerized measurement system of Infinity cooperation, called phi-view, with its software tools. Using the statistical software program, SPSS (version 12th), we interpreted the results which were measured by two independent observers. RESULTS:In the intraobserver measurement, the HVA of observer A showed reliability (32.5 degrees +/-6.9 and 33.1 degrees +/-6.8)(p005). In the results of observer B, HVAs were measured as 35.7 degrees +/-7.6 and 36.2 degrees +/-7.7, and were not reliable (p>005). 1-2 IMA in observer B was not reliable as well (17.0 degrees +/-0.8 and 20.8 degrees +/-1.5)(p>005). In the interobservers' measurements, the first and the second results of HVA were 3.2 degrees +/-3.6 and 3.1 degrees +/-3.1, reliable within the 95% confidence interval (p005). CONCLUSION: In the angular measurement of the hallux valgus by computerized system, the HVA and 1-2 IMA showed less error range in the interobserver's results, compared with the previous studies about the manual measurement. However, our results failed to show the statistical reliability of intra- and interobserver's measuring. Therefore, even the computerized angular measurements in the severity of hallux valgus require development of the measuring methods and software tools.