Observations on Inter-Rater Agreement in Assessing Fusion Activities at Elbow, Wrist and Pelvis by Conventional and Digital X-Ray Films

Abstract

The present study was designed to measure the inter-rater reliability between two observers in opining and
grading the degree of fusion of the secondary centres of ossification using digital and conventional X ray.
Attempt was made to examine whether the digital x-ray is superior to conventional X-ray as regards the
interrater reliability. It was found that The Kappa score ranged from 0.560 to 0.761 for conventional x-ray
films; whereas it ranged from 0.840 to 0.946 in case of digital x-rays. Interrater agreement was noted to
be near perfect using digital x ray for all the centres of ossification applied in the study .The accuracy of
digital radiography in age determination by observing the fusion activity at elbow, wrist and pelvis (Using
Schmeling’s staging) will be superior than conventional radiography