Validity and intra- and interobserver reliability of an indirect volume measurements in patients with upper extremity lymphedema

• Published in: Lymphology Vol. 37; no. 3; pp. 127 - 133
• Main Authors: MEIJER, R. S, RIETMAN, J. S, GEERTZEN, J. H. B, BOSMANS, J. C, DIJKSTRA, P. U
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tucson, AZ International Society of Lymphology 01-09-2004
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Anthropometry - methods; Arm - pathology; Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Breast Neoplasms - complications; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cardiovascular system; Diseases of the lymphatic vessels; Emergency and intensive care: renal failure. Dialysis management; Female; Humans; Intensive care medicine; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Lymphedema - diagnosis; Lymphedema - etiology; Lymphedema - pathology; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Models, Theoretical; Observer Variation; Pathology. Cytology. Biochemistry. Spectrometry. Miscellaneous investigative techniques; Reproducibility of Results; Human; Cardiovascular disease; Lymphedema; Reliability; Lymphatic vessel disease
• ISSN: 0024-7766

We investigated a method of indirect volume measurement that utilized surface measurements and a simplified formula derived from the formula for a frustum (Sitzia's method) to determine limb volumes in patients with breast cancer-related lymphedema of the upper extremity. Repeated measurements of upper-extremity limb volume were obtained by two observers on both upper extremities of 30 women with unilateral lymphedema. Volume was calculated using a simplified formula and compared with water displacement method as a gold standard. Indirect volume determination using Sitzia's method is comparable with the water displacement method, has comparable intra- and interobserver reliabilities, and can be used for diagnosis and follow up measurements of lymphedema. Indirect volume determination using surface measurements at 8 cm intervals is only suitable for follow up measurements. The methods should not be used interchangeably.