83 research outputs found
MRI classification of interspinous ligament degeneration of the lumbar spine: intraobserver and interobserver reliability and the frequency of disagreement
Posterior spinal ligament pathology is becoming increasingly recognized as a significant cause of low back pain. Despite the growing clinical importance of interspinous ligament degeneration in low back pain patients, formal reliability studies for the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evaluation of interspinous ligaments have not been performed. We proposed an MRI classification system for interspinous ligament degeneration and conducted a comprehensive reliability and reproducibility assessment. Fifty patients who had low back pain with or without leg discomfort (26 males and 24 females) with a mean age of 48.8Â years (range 23â85Â years) were studied. The classification for lumbar interspinous ligament degeneration was developed on the basis of the literature using mid-sagittal T1- and T2-weighted images. Three spine surgeons independently graded a total of 200 interspinous ligament levels. Intraobserver and interobserver reliability were assessed by kappa statistics. The frequency of disagreement was also identified. The intraobserver agreement was excellent in all readers (kappa range 0.840â0.901). The interobserver agreement was lower as expected, and was substantial to excellent (kappa range 0.726â0.818). Overall complete agreement was obtained in 87.8% of all interspinous ligament levels. A difference of 1, 2, and 3 grades occurred in 8.1, 3.0, and 1.1% of readings, respectively. This proposed MRI classification of interspinous ligament degeneration was simple, reliable, and reproducible. Its use as a standardized nomenclature in clinical and radiographic research may be recommended
Extragalactic Radio Continuum Surveys and the Transformation of Radio Astronomy
Next-generation radio surveys are about to transform radio astronomy by
discovering and studying tens of millions of previously unknown radio sources.
These surveys will provide new insights to understand the evolution of
galaxies, measuring the evolution of the cosmic star formation rate, and
rivalling traditional techniques in the measurement of fundamental cosmological
parameters. By observing a new volume of observational parameter space, they
are also likely to discover unexpected new phenomena. This review traces the
evolution of extragalactic radio continuum surveys from the earliest days of
radio astronomy to the present, and identifies the challenges that must be
overcome to achieve this transformational change.Comment: To be published in Nature Astronomy 18 Sept 201
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