Intra- and Inter-Rater Reliability of Thickness Measurement of the Psoas Major Muscle Using the Spring Gauge Technique for the Consistent Inward Pressures on Healthy Subjects: An Ultrasonographic Study

Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to determine the intra- and inter-rater reliability of muscle thickness (MT) measurement of the psoas major (PM) using ultrasonography (US) conducted at different inward pressures of approximately .5 kg, 1.0 kg, 1.5 kg, and 2.0 kg. Twelve healthy male subjects were recruited for the study. The thicknesses of both PMs of each subject were measured by two different examiners in a random manner to assess the intra- and inter-rater reliability. The measurement values were analyzed using the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). ICC (2,1) was used to determine the inter-rater reliability and ICC (3,1) was used to assess the intra-rater reliability of the MT measurement of the PM. The results indicated higher ICC values for intra-rater reliability compared to inter-rater reliability. In addition, the value for intra-rater reliability with .5 kg inward pressure [ICC=.99 (95%CI=.98~.99)] was higher compared to 1.0 kg, 1.5 kg, and 2.0 kg. Other inward pressures for intra- and inter-rater reliability in current study were also demonstrated to have excellent values (ICC=.94~.99). These findings showed that maintaining consistent inward pressure is essential for maintaining reliability of the results when the MT of the PM is measured by different examiners in a clinical setting.