fObserver variation and relationship of computed tomography to severity of beryllium disease

摘要

Although high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) is commonly used to assess interstitial lung disease (ILD), relatvely little is known about interrater reliability and construct validity of HRCT- reported nodules, ground-glass opacity, or other typical findings. We determined the interobserver and intraobserver variability of HRCT findings and correlated HRCT abnormalities with physiologic measures in 57 patients with chronic beryllium disease (CBD). Reliability of HRCT scan measurements were assessed using weighted kappa (K_w) and intraclass correlation coefficients.