Yin W, Feng Y, Hu D, Ellwood R P, Pretty I A
Department of Preventive Dentistry, West China College of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Caries Res. 2007;41(3):186-9. doi: 10.1159/000099316.
The aim of this study was to determine the impact of analysis patch border inclusion or exclusion on the reliability of quantitative laser fluorescence (QLF) analyses of lesions close to the gingival margin. Ninety-three lesions on the maxillary anterior teeth were imaged using a fluorescent capturing system. All the lesions were located on the gingival third of the teeth. One examiner undertook two analyses of the images 1 week apart and another examiner undertook a single analysis. Analyses were undertaken using QLF 2.00 g with four patch borders. Each border was assessed as active or inactive. QLF metrics DeltaF, DeltaQ and area were exported. Kappa statistics were used to measure the agreement of border inclusion between all three analyses, and intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used to determine the intra- and inter-examiner reliability of the QLF metrics. Agreement on border exclusion was poor; with intra-examiner kappa of 0.48 and inter-examiner at 0.20. However, despite the inconsistencies in border exclusions the ICCs for each QLF metric were high; intra-examiner DeltaQ 0.91, DeltaF 0.80 and area 0.92; inter-examiner DeltaQ 0.86, DeltaF 0.68, area 0.88. Lesions adjacent to the gingival margin will often require a patch analysis border to be excluded in order to ensure a satisfactory reconstruction and thus accurate analysis. The decision to include or exclude a border and, if excluded, which border to select appears to be highly variable between examiners. Nevertheless, the QLF metrics appear to be robust as demonstrated by the high ICCs noted in this study.
本研究的目的是确定分析补丁边界的纳入或排除对靠近牙龈边缘病变的定量激光荧光（QLF）分析可靠性的影响。使用荧光采集系统对上颌前牙的93个病变进行成像。所有病变均位于牙齿的牙龈三分之一处。一名检查者在相隔1周的时间对图像进行了两次分析，另一名检查者进行了一次分析。使用带有四个补丁边界的QLF 2.00 g进行分析。每个边界被评估为活动或不活动。导出QLF指标DeltaF、DeltaQ和面积。使用Kappa统计量来衡量所有三次分析之间边界纳入的一致性，并使用组内相关系数（ICC）来确定QLF指标的检查者内和检查者间可靠性。在边界排除方面的一致性较差；检查者内Kappa为0.48，检查者间为0.20。然而，尽管边界排除存在不一致性，但每个QLF指标的ICC都很高；检查者内DeltaQ为0.91，DeltaF为0.80，面积为0.92；检查者间DeltaQ为0.86，DeltaF为0.68，面积为0.88。靠近牙龈边缘的病变通常需要排除补丁分析边界，以确保重建效果令人满意，从而进行准确分析。纳入或排除边界的决定，以及如果排除，选择哪个边界，在检查者之间似乎差异很大。尽管如此，正如本研究中所指出的高ICC所示，QLF指标似乎很稳健。
