Interobserver and Intraobserver Agreement of Radiograph Interpretation With and Without Pedicle Screw Implants

Abstract

It is extremely difficult to interpret radiographic lumbar posterolateral fusion success. Such an assessment needs to be performed by use of a detailed radiographic classification system. The classification system presented here revealed good interobserver and intraobserver agreement, both with and without instrumentation. The classification showed acceptable reliability and may be one way to improve interstudy and intrastudy correlation of radiologic outcomes after posterolateral spinal fusion. Instrumentation did not influence reproducibility but may result in slightly underestimated fusion rates.