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Use of the iPhone for Cobb angle measurement in scoliosis

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TLDR
The widespread availability of inclinometer-equipped mobile phones and the ability to store measurements in later versions of the angle measurement software may make these new technologies attractive for clinical measurement applications.
Abstract
Purpose: The Cobb technique is the universally accepted method for measuring the severity of spinal deformities. Traditionally, Cobb angles have been measured using protractor and pencil on hardcopy radiographic films. The new generation of mobile phones make accurate angle measurement possible using an integrated accelerometer, providing a potentially useful clinical tool for assessing Cobb angles. The purpose of this study was to compare Cobb angle measurements performed using an Apple iPhone and traditional protractor in a series of twenty Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis patients. Methods: Seven observers measured major Cobb angles on twenty pre-operative postero-anterior radiographs of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis patients with both a standard protractor and using an Apple iPhone. Five of the observers repeated the measurements at least a week after the original measurements. Results: The mean absolute difference between pairs of iPhone/protractor measurements was 2.1°, with a small (1°) bias toward lower Cobb angles with the iPhone. 95% confidence intervals for intra-observer variability were ±3.3° for the protractor and ±3.9° for the iPhone. 95% confidence intervals for inter-observer variability were ±8.3° for the iPhone and ±7.1° for the protractor. Both of these confidence intervals were within the range of previously published Cobb measurement studies. Conclusions: We conclude that the iPhone is an equivalent Cobb measurement tool to the manual protractor, and measurement times are about 15% less. The widespread availability of inclinometer-equipped mobile phones and the ability to store measurements in later versions of the angle measurement software may make these new technologies attractive for clinical measurement applications.

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Citations
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Differences in trunk accelerometry between frail and non-frail elderly persons in functional tasks

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Differences in trunk accelerometry between frail and nonfrail elderly persons in sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit transitions based on a mobile inertial sensor

TL;DR: In this article, the authors measured the variability of the accelerations, angular velocity, and displacement of the trunk during the Sit-to-Sit and Stand-To-Sit transitions in two groups of frail and physically active elderly persons, through instrumentation with the iPhone 4 smartphone.
Dissertation

Mobile smartphone applications for healthcare practitioners

TL;DR: In this article, the authors employ a novel investigative approach based on Realist Evaluation to investigate the prevalence and outcomes of mobile apps and uncover the key causal mechanisms and contexts that influence their use.
References
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TL;DR: An alternative approach, based on graphical techniques and simple calculations, is described, together with the relation between this analysis and the assessment of repeatability.
Journal Article

Akufo and ibarapa.

Beckett Ah, +2 more
- 06 Feb 1965 - 
Journal ArticleDOI

Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: A New Classification to Determine Extent of Spinal Arthrodesis

TL;DR: A new two-dimensional classification of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, as tested by two groups of surgeons, was shown to be much more reliable than the King system.
Journal ArticleDOI

Applying the right statistics: analyses of measurement studies

TL;DR: The problems of some applications of correlation and regression methods to these studies are described, using recent examples from this literature, and the 95% limits of agreement approach and a similar, appropriate, regression technique are described.
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