Longitudinal Quantification of Eye-Movement Impairments after Pontine Hemorrhage.

INTRODUCTION: We report a case of hypertrophic olivary degeneration due to pontine hemorrhage. A 59-year-old male with untreated hypertension suffered a primary pontine hemorrhage, which caused horizontal eye-movement limitation. Progressive neurological deterioration with involuntary eye and palatal movements began months after hemorrhage. This was accompanied by magnetic resonance imaging evidence of hypertrophic olivary degeneration at 4.5 months. BACKGROUND: Primary pontine hemorrhage often leads to impairment of eye movements and diplopia. Hypertrophic olivary degeneration can also emerge months after hemorrhage, producing involuntary pendular eye movements. Neither the natural history of voluntary eye movements nor the emergence of involuntary eye movements after pontine hemorrhage has been previously quantified. METHODS: We used an optokinetic task that enabled measurement of eye movements. It provided real-time feedback on the ability to track continuously and saccade quickly in a pursuit task. The feedback motivated the patient to use the system repeatedly in his home. From 3 months after hemorrhage, the patient used the system for 9 months, allowing us to quantify changes in his eye movements. RESULTS: Horizontal gaze impairments were manifest in our task as limitation in horizontal range of motion, as well as delay in initiation of the right eye's movement during left-to-right pursuit. Improvement in these impairments was measured over the course of months 3-7 post hemorrhage. In addition, the emergence of vertical pendular nystagmus was identified in the subject at 4 months. Analysis of the eye-movement records revealed presymptomatic oscillatory eye movements whose amplitude had grown steadily over the course of 3 weeks, prior to a sharp increase in amplitude that coincided with the patient's first report of oscillopsia. Horizontal pendular nystagmus emerged 7.4 months after the hemorrhage, primarily in the left eye. CONCLUSION: An eye-tracking system deployed in a patient's home enabled prospective longitudinal quantification of the natural history and improvement in voluntary eye-movement impairments after pontine hemorrhage. It also characterized prospectively for the first time, the emergence of involuntary eye movements resulting from the rare complication of hypertrophic olivary degeneration. Results suggest that brief weekly measurements with an eye-tracker may allow early detection of this complication.

Measuring the Pain Area: An Intra- and Inter-Rater Reliability Study Using Image Analysis Software.

Pain drawings have frequently been used for clinical information and research. The aim of this study was to investigate intra- and inter-rater reliability of area measurements performed on pain drawings. Our secondary objective was to verify the reliability when using computers with different screen sizes, both with and without mouse hardware. Pain drawings were completed by patients with chronic neck pain or neck-shoulder-arm pain. Four independent examiners participated in the study. Examiners A and B used the same computer with a 16-inch screen and wired mouse hardware. Examiner C used a notebook with a 16-inch screen and no mouse hardware, and Examiner D used a computer with an 11.6-inch screen and a wireless mouse. Image measurements were obtained using GIMP and NIH ImageJ computer programs. The length of all the images was measured using GIMP software to a set scale in ImageJ. Thus, each marked area was encircled and the total surface area (cm(2) ) was calculated for each pain drawing measurement. A total of 117 areas were identified and 52 pain drawings were analyzed. The intrarater reliability between all examiners was high (ICC = 0.989). The inter-rater reliability was also high. No significant differences were observed when using different screen sizes or when using or not using the mouse hardware. This suggests that the precision of these measurements is acceptable for the use of this method as a measurement tool in clinical practice and research.

Validation of a new computer-assisted tool to measure spino-pelvic parameters.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Evaluation of sagittal alignment is essential in the operative treatment of spine pathology, particularly adult spinal deformity (ASD). However, software applications for detailed spino-pelvic analysis are usually complex and not applicable to routine clinical use. PURPOSE: This study aimed to validate new clinician-friendly software (Surgimap) in the setting of ASD. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING: Accuracy and inter- and intra-rater reliability of spine measurement software were tested. Five users (two experienced spine surgeons, three novice spine research fellows) independently performed each part of the study in two rounds with 1 week between measurements. PATIENT SAMPLE: Fifty ASD patients drawn from a prospective database were used as the study sample. OUTCOME MEASURES: Spinal, pelvic, and cervical measurement parameters (including pelvic tilt [PT], pelvic incidence [PI], lumbar-pelvic mismatch [PI-LL], lumbar lordosis [LL], thoracic kyphosis [TK], T1 spino-pelvic inclination [T1SPI], sagittal vertical axis [SVA], and cervical lordosis [CL]) were the outcome measures. METHODS: For the accuracy evaluation, 30 ASD patient radiographs were pre-marked for anatomic landmarks. Each radiograph was measured twice with the new software (Surgimap); measurements were compared to those from previously validated software. For the reliability and reproducibility evaluation, users measured 50 unmarked ASD radiographs in two rounds. Intra-class correlation (ICC) and International Organization for Standardization (ISO) reproducibility values were calculated. Measurement time was recorded. RESULTS: Surgimap demonstrated excellent accuracy as assessed by the mean absolute difference from validated measurements: PT: 0.12°, PI: 0.35°, LL: 0.58°, PI-LL: 0.46°, TK: 5.25°, T1SPI: 0.53°, and SVA: 2.04 mm. The inter- and intra-observer reliability analysis revealed good to excellent agreement for all parameters. The mean difference between rounds was <0.4° for PT, PI, LL, PI-LL, and T1SPI, and <0.3 mm for SVA. For PT, PI, LL, PI-LL, TK, T1SPI, and SVA, the intra-observer ICC values were all >0.93 and the inter-observer ICC values were all >0.87. Parameters based on point landmarks rather than end plate orientation had a better reliability (ICC≥0.95 vs. ICC≥0.84). The average time needed to perform a full spino-pelvic analysis with Surgimap was 75 seconds (+25). CONCLUSIONS: Using this new software tool, a simple method for full spine analysis can be performed quickly, accurately, and reliably. The proposed list of parameters offers quantitative values of the spine and pelvis, setting the stage for proper preoperative planning. The new software tool provides an important bridge between clinical and research needs.

Validity and reliability of computerized measurement of lumbar intervertebral disc height and volume from magnetic resonance images.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Magnetic resonance (MR) examinations of morphologic characteristics of intervertebral discs (IVDs) have been used extensively for biomechanical studies and clinical investigations of the lumbar spine. Traditionally, the morphologic measurements have been performed using time- and expertise-intensive manual segmentation techniques not well suited for analyses of large-scale studies.. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to introduce and validate a semiautomated method for measuring IVD height and mean sagittal area (and volume) from MR images to determine if it can replace the manual assessment and enable analyses of large MR cohorts. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING: This study compares semiautomated and manual measurements and assesses their reliability and agreement using data from repeated MR examinations. METHODS: Seven healthy asymptomatic males underwent 1.5-T MR examinations of the lumbar spine involving sagittal T2-weighted fast spin-echo images obtained at baseline, pre-exercise, and postexercise conditions. Measures of the mean height and the mean sagittal area of lumbar IVDs (L1-L2 to L4-L5) were compared for two segmentation approaches: a conventional manual method (10-15 minutes to process one IVD) and a specifically developed semiautomated method (requiring only a few mouse clicks to process each subject). RESULTS: Both methods showed strong test-retest reproducibility evaluated on baseline and pre-exercise examinations with strong intraclass correlations for the semiautomated and manual methods for mean IVD height (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC]=0.99, 0.98) and mean IVD area (ICC=0.98, 0.99), respectively. A bias (average deviation) of 0.38 mm (4.1%, 95% confidence interval 0.18-0.59 mm) was observed between the manual and semiautomated methods for the IVD height, whereas there was no statistically significant difference for the mean IVD area (0.1%±3.5%). The semiautomated and manual methods both detected significant exercise-induced changes in IVD height (0.20 and 0.28 mm) and mean IVD area (5.7 and 8.3 mm(2)), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The presented semiautomated method provides an alternative to time- and expertise-intensive manual procedures for analysis of larger, cross-sectional, interventional, and longitudinal MR studies for morphometric analyses of lumbar IVDs.

Comparison of Angle Measurements on Hallux Valgus with Two Different Methods Using Digital Images / 대한족부족관절학회지

PURPOSE: To study inter- and intra-observer reliabilities of computerized measurements of the angular parameters of hallux valgus deformity, using two different kinds of software tools for angle measurement on the digital radiography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: On 35 digital radiographies of standing foot anteroposterior view of hallux valgus, two observers (A, B) independently measured hallux valgus angle (HVA) and 1-2 intermetatarsal angle (IMA1-2) twice, using two methods. In method I, an angle was determined from duplicated lines to longitudinal axes made for bisecting line on the target bones with software tool. In method II, an angle was calculated automatically and directly from bisecting lines (longitudinal axes) made on the target bones. We compared two methods using paired t-test to determine significance of differences. Inter- and intra-observer reliabilities were evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). RESULTS: There were no significant differences between measurements of method I and II for each observer (p>0.05) and intraobserver reliability were good. (ICC>0.9) Inter-observer reliability for method I and II was good of the HVA (ICCs, 0.912 and 0.905) and moderate of the IMA1-2 (ICCs, 0.505 and 0.537). There were interobserver differences in HVA of method I and II. CONCLUSION: No significant difference was found statistically between measurements of method I and II. Both methods I and II would be acceptable to measure angular parameters of hallux valgus deformity.

Computerized Measurement on Angular Parameters for Hallux Valgus: Comparison of 100% and 150% Magnified Digital Radiography / 대한족부족관절학회지

PURPOSE: To study computerized measurements of angular parameters on 100% and 150% resized digital radiography of hallux valgus deformity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 30 digital radiography of standing foot anteroposterior view of hallux valgus patients were included. Two observers(A, B) independently measured hallux valgus angle (HVA), 1-2 intermetatarsal angle (IMA), and distal metatarsal articular angle (DMAA) in two times on both 100%-size and 150% magnified images respectively, using computerized measurement software tools. The results were interpreted with the statistical software program, Statistical Analysis System, version 9.2. RESULTS: In repeated measurements of each observer, measurements on 150% magnified image showed no differences of all three parameters and with 100%-size image, there were differences of HVA (observer A) and 1-2 IMA (observer B) (p>0.05). When testing interobserver reliability, both observers showed differences in measurement of HVA and DMAA (p<0.05), but no differences in measurement of 1-2 IMA in both images. Within the 95% confidence interval, limits of error of measurements between two observers on HVA, IMA and DMAA were 2.7degrees 1.4degrees and 5.0degrees respectively in 100%-size images, and 2.6degrees, 1.6degrees and 4.7degrees respectively in 150% magnified images. CONCLUSION: In computerized measurements for angular parameters of hallux valgus with digital radiography, 150% magnified images showed intraobserver reliability. Both 100% and 150% magnified images failed to show interobserver reliability. Measurement of 1-2 IMA in both 100% and 150% images showed less interobserver error.

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

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.