Abstract
Objectives: The objective of the current study is to determine whether an ultrasound device system is adequate for measuring distance from the abdominal surface of Sangwan (CV13) to peritoneum in front of anterior surface of liver. Methods: We recruited 3 healthy young male subjects and 2 sonographers. The each sonographer measured vertical shortest distance from the abdominal surface of Sangwan (CV13) to peritoneum in front of anterior surface of liver with a ultrasound device with three methods of 3.5 MHz convex probe and gel, 9 MHz linear probe and gel, and 9 MHz linear probe and solid gel pad, three times in random order. Because the total variation could be divided into repeatability, reproducibility and subject-to-subject variation in Gage R&R method, we compared the sources of variation associated with the measurement system with an analysis of variance model. Results & Conclusions: Number of distinct categories is calculated on the basis of standard deviation of subject-to-subject divided by standard deviation of total Gage R&R. If the number of categories is five or more, the measurement system may be acceptable for the analysis of the process. The number of distinct categories of the ultrasound device system for measuring distance from the abdominal surface of Sangwan (CV13) to peritoneum in front of anterior surface of liver were 9.20 (9 MHz linear probe and gel), 14.70 (9 MHz linear probe and solid gel pad). So we concluded that repeatabilities and reproducibilities of the ultrasound device system for measuring distance from the abdominal surface of Sangwan (CV13) to peritoneum in front of anterior surface of liver with the methods of 9 MHz linear probe and gel, and 9 MHz linear probe and solid gel pad were acceptable.
