International Journal of Rheumatology

Research Article

Is Musculoskeletal Ultrasonography an Operator-Dependent Method or a Fast and Reliably Teachable Diagnostic Tool? Interreader Agreements of Three Ultrasonographers with Different Training Levels

Table 2

Specificities, sensitivities, coefficients, percentage agreements, and senior’s results for all examined joints (fingers, shoulder, knee, tibiotalar, and talonavicular joints) and each joint region reached by the junior (a) and beginner investigator (b).

(a) Results for the junior investigator; na = not available.


Joints + pathologies	Specificity	Sensitivity		Agreement (%)	Senior’s results 0/1

Finger joints (synovitis):
MCP II dorsal	100%	100%	1.0	100%	5/10
MCP II palmar	75%	100%	0.81	93.3%	4/11
MCP III dorsal	50%	100%	0.48	73.3%	8/7
MCP III palmar	66.7%	100%	0.62	80%	9/6
PIP II dorsal	92.3%	100%	0.76	93.3%	13/2
PIP II palmar	100%	88.9%	0.86	93.3%	6/9
PIP III dorsal	100%	71.4%	0.73	86.7%	8/7
PIP III palmar	100%	87.5%	0.87	93.3%	7/8
MCP II radial	100%	100%	1.0	100%	1/10;

Finger joints (erosion):
MCP II dorsal	83.3%	100%	0.86	93.3%	6/9
MCP II palmar	75%	100%	0.82	93.3%	4/11
MCP III dorsal	85.7%	87.5%	0.73	86.7%	7/8
MCP III palmar	83.3%	100%	0.86	93.3%	6/9
PIP II dorsal	100%	90.9%	0.84	93.3%	4/11
PIP II palmar	66.7%	100%	0.71	86.7%	6/9
PIP III dorsal	100%	91.7%	0.81	93.3%	3/12
PIP III palmar	100%	100%	1.0	100%	6/9
MCP II radial	100%	100%	1.0	100%	1/10;

Shoulder
Anterior synovitis	100%	66.7%	0.76	93.3%	12/3
Posterior synovitis	100%	100%	1.0	100%	13/2
Anterior erosion	100%	100%	1.0	100%	1/14
Posterior erosion	100%	100%	1.0	100%	1/14
Tenosynovitis of biceps tendon	88.9%	83.3%	0.72	86.7%	9/6
Rotator cuff rupture	100%	100%	1.0	100%	7/4
Subdeltoid bursitis	100%	80%	0.84	93.3%	10/5

Knee
Suprapatellar effusion	80%	80%	0.57	80%	5/10
Erosion ()	100%	92.9%	0.63	93.3%	1/14
Popliteal cyst	100%	100%	1.0	100%	12/3

Tibiotalar joint
Synovitis	91.7%	100%	0.81	93.3%	12/3
Erosion	87.5%	100%	0.87	93.3%	8/7
Talonavicular joint
Synovitis	80%	100%	0.84	93.3%	5/10

(b) Results for the beginner investigator; na = not available


Joints + pathologies	Specificity	Sensitivity		Agreement (%)	Senior’s results 0/1

Finger joints (synovitis):
MCP II dorsal	100%	100%	1.0	100%	5/10
MCP II palmar	75%	81.8%	0.53	80%	4/11
MCP III dorsal	75%	85.7%	0.60	80%	8/7
MCP III palmar	88.9%	66.7%	0.57	80%	9/6
PIP II dorsal	84.6%	0%	−0.15	73.3%	13/2
PIP II palmar	83.3%	66.7%	0.47	73.3%	6/9
PIP III dorsal	87.5%	42.9%	0.31	66.7%	8/7
PIP III palmar	85.7%	37.5%	0.22	60%	7/8
MCP II radial	100%	100%	1.0	100%	1/10;

Finger joints (erosion):
MCP II dorsal	83.3%	55.6%	0.36	66.7%	6/9
MCP II palmar	75%	54.6%	0.22	60%	4/11
MCP III dorsal	71.4%	37.5%	0.09	53.3%	7/8
MCP III palmar	100%	88.9%	0.86	93.3%	6/9
PIP II dorsal	50%	72.7%	0.21	66.7%	4/11
PIP II palmar	33.3%	77.8%	0.12	60%	6/9
PIP III dorsal	100%	75%	0.55	80%	3/12
PIP III palmar	33.3%	100%	0.38	73.3%	6/9
MCP II radial	0%	90%	−0.1	81.8%	1/10;

Shoulder
Anterior synovitis	100%	66.7%	0.76	93.3%	12/3
Posterior synovitis	84.6%	50%	0.29	80%	13/2
Anterior erosion	100%	78.6%	0.33	80%	1/14
Posterior erosion	100%	78.6%	0.33	80%	1/14
Tenosynovitis of biceps tendon	77.8%	50%	0.29	66.7%	9/6
Rotator cuff rupture	100%	25%	0.3	72.7%	7/4
Subdeltoid bursitis	100%	60%	0.67	86.7%	10/5

Knee
Suprapatellar effusion	80%	50%	0.25	60%	5/10
Erosion ()	100%	64.3%	0.19	66.7%	1/14
Popliteal cyst	100%	66.7%	0.76	93.3%	12/3

Tibiotalar joint
Synovitis	83.3%	66.7%	0.44	80%	12/3
Erosion	87.5%	85.7%	0.73	86.7%	8/7

Talonavicular joint
Synovitis	80%	60%	0.35	66.7%	5/10