Effect of patient positions on measurement errors of the knee-joint space on radiographs

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most important health problems these days. It is one of the most frequent causes of pain and disability of middle-aged and old people. Nowadays the radiograph is the most economic and available tool to evaluate changes in OA. Error of performance of radiographs of knee joint is the basic problem of their evaluation for clinical research. The purpose of evaluation of such radiographs in my study was measuring the knee-joint space on several radiographs performed at defined intervals. Attempt at evaluating errors caused by a radiologist of a patient was presented in this study. These errors resulted mainly from either incorrect conditions of performance or from a patient's fault. Once we have information about size of the errors, we will be able to assess which of these elements have the greatest influence on accuracy and repeatability of measurements of knee-joint space. And consequently we will be able to minimize their sources.