Sonographic measurement of abdominal aortic diameter: interobserver variability.

Abstract

Twenty-eight patients undergoing sonographic evaluation of the abdominal aorta were examined by two separate observers. Three measurements were obtained from each patient: the anteroposterior diameter from an axial image (APA), the right-left diameter from an axial image (RLA), and the anteroposterior diameter from a longitudinal image (APL). Calculation of the interobserver variability gave the following results (in mm): APL, 2.22; APA, 2.53; and RLA, 2.84. The calculated 95% confidence intervals for a single measurement (in mm) were APL, 4.35; APA, 4.94; and RLA, 5.58.