Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science (대한임상검사과학회지)

Korean Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (대한임상검사과학회)
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Study on the Agreement Values of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Measured by Cardiac Sonographers

심장초음파 검사자 간의 폐동맥고혈압 진단 측정값 일치도 분석 연구

  • Seol Hwa KIM (Echocardiography Laboratory, Heart Vascular Stroke Institute, Samsung Medical Center) ;
  • Sundo JUNG (Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Shinhan University)
  • 김설화 (삼성서울병원 심뇌혈관병원 심장초음파검사실) ;
  • 정선도 (신한대학교 임상병리학과)
  • Received : 2023.08.20
  • Accepted : 2023.10.27
  • Published : 2023.12.31
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Abstract

Echocardiography is a non-invasive method that is useful for diagnosing pulmonary arterial hypertension. It is known that echocardiography depends on the experience, education, and knowledge level of the cardiac sonographer. This study aimed to compare the agreement values between cardiac sonographer with different practical experiences in the diagnosis of pulmonary arterial hypertension using echocardiography. Three readers re-evaluated the echocardiography images of 148 patients who were diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension at the S Medical Center from January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020. The echocardiography values measured by each reader were compared and analyzed. The results of the analysis of discrete variables revealed that the agreement values of the cardiac sonographers showed excellent consistency for both reader 3 and the cardiologist group, indicating that more experience leads to better predictive accuracy for diagnosis of the condition. Furthermore, in terms of continuous variables, all the cardiac sonographer demonstrated good agreement in the measured values of the right atrium, which was easier to assess and clearer than the structurally complex measurements of the right ventricle. This study represents the first analysis in Korea of the agreement values measured by medical technologists who are cardiac sonographers.

심장초음파검사는 폐동맥고혈압 진단에 유용한 비침습 방법으로 심장초음파 검사자의 교육상태, 지식수준, 경력에 따라 영향을 받는다. 이 연구의 목적은 폐동맥고혈압으로 진단받은 환자의 심장초음파 영상을 경력이 다른 검사자 간의 측정값 일치도를 비교하는 것이다. 2020년 1월 1일부터 2020년 12월 31일까지 S 병원에서 폐동맥고혈압으로 진단받고 심장초음파 검사를 받은 148명 환자의 심장초음파 영상을 심장초음파검사 경력이 다른 3명의 검사자가 재측정하였다. 각 검사자가 측정한 심장초음파 측정값을 분석한 결과, 이산변수 분석에서 검사자 간 일치도 평가는 검사자 3과 심장내과 전문의 그룹에서 모두 우수한 일치도를 보여 검사 경력이 많을수록 측정값 예측에 유리했다. 또한, 연속변수에서 모든 검사자는 구조적으로 복잡한 우심실의 측정값보다 내면이 단순하고 명확한 우심방의 측정값에서 좋은 일치도를 보였다. 본 연구는 국내 최초로 심장초음파를 시행하는 임상병리사 중 경력이 다른 임상병리사들이 심장초음파 영상을 재측정한 측정값의 일치도를 분석한 것이다.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This article is a revision of the first author's master's thesis. This paper was supported by the Korean Association of Medical Technologists in 2023 and Proceeded by support project for thesis submission by member practitioners. Proofreading performed by Park SK.

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