Practicality and repeatability of B-mode ultrasonography on diagnosis and score of carotid atherosclerosis / 中国地方病学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the practicality and repeatability of B-mode ultrasonography on diagnosis and score of carotid atherosclerosis. Methods Ninety-nine B-mode ultrasonography pictures of carotid atherosclerosis were obtained from field investigation. According to the established standard(normal scored as 0, other scored as 1 - 7 by the severity), the 99 pictures were diagnosed and scored once together by three trained inexperienced members of the research team. Ten days later, these pictures were diagnosed and scored respectively, by the three members.The diagnostic results were analyzed with statistical methods to test the feasibility and repeatability of this set of diagnostic and scoring system. Results The joint diagnostic results by the three group members were regard as standard with scores 0 in 27 cases, 1 in 27 cases, 2 in 10 cases, 3 in 4 cases, 4 in 13 cases, 5 in 8 cases, 6 in 6 cases, and 7 in 4 cases. Independent diagnostic results by member A was 0 in 29 cases, 1 in 24 cases, 2 in 11 cases, 3 in 2 cases, 4 in 12 cases, 5 in 11 cases, 6 in 6 cases, and 7 in 4 cases. Independent diagnostic results by member B was 0 in 29 cases, 1 in 22 cases, 2 in 14 cases, 3 in 4 cases, 4 in 13 cases, 5 in 5 cases, 6 in 8 cases, and 7 in 4 cases. Independent diagnostic results by member C was 0 in 28 cases, 1 in 25 cases, 2 in 8 cases, 3 in 5 cases, 4 in 14 cases, 5 in 10 cases, 6 in 4 cases, and 7 in 5 cases. Comparison of the 4 diagnostic scores, the difference was not statistically significant(F = 0.019, P ＞ 0.05). Joint diagnostic results of the three members were compared with the standard and correlation coefficient were 0.977,0.987,0.932, respectively(all P ＜ 0.01 ). The correlation coefficient of diagnostic results of each member were 0.969,0.935,0.928, respectively (all P ＜0.01 ). Diagnostic results of each member were consistent with the standard and the compliance rate were 88.9% (88/99) ,90.9%(90/99) and 86.9%(86/99), respectively. Conclusions B-mode ultrasonography is a non-injure method for diagnosis of carotid atherosclerosis in epidemiology investigation. The method is easy to grasp and has a good repeatability.