Reproducibility of radiographic classification of scapholunate advanced collapse (SLAC) and scaphoid nonunion advanced collapse (SNAC) wrist

Abstract

The aim of this study was to measure inter- and intra-observer agreement on the radiographic classification of scapholunate advanced collapse (SLAC) and scaphoid nonunion advanced collapse (SNAC) wrist. Radiographs of 41 patients with SLAC wrist and 47 patients with SNAC wrist were graded on two separate occasions by four orthopaedic consultants specializing in hand and wrist surgery. Inter-observer agreement was evaluated using the multi-rater kappa value. Landis and Koch criteria were used to assess the level of agreement. Intra-observer agreement was tested by re-grading the radiographs after an interval of 2 to 4 weeks and calculating the weighted kappa value. For SLAC wrist, the inter-observer agreement was moderate (kappa value = 0.59) and intra-observer agreement substantial (kappa value = 0.65). For SNAC wrist, the inter-observer agreement was slight (kappa value = 0.20) and intra-observer agreement was fair (kappa value = 0.29). Radiographic classification of SLAC wrist has moderate reliability and reproducibility, whereas classification of SNAC wrist has limited reliability.