Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Search research articles

Related Experiment Videos

Radiographic fracture assessments: which ones can we reliably make?

J Martin¹, J L Marsh, J V Nepola

¹University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, USA.

Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma

|September 23, 2000

Summary

Assessing tibial plateau fractures using plain radiographs shows variable reliability among orthopedic specialists. While fracture line location is reliably identified, subjective assessments and quantitative measurements lack reproducibility for treatment decisions.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Good News: The Easier, More Efficient Technique for Pain Management Is Equivalent: Commentary on an article by Jinlei Li, MD, PhD, et al.: "Glucocorticoid-Enhanced Fascial Plane and Peripheral Nerve Blocks Versus Periarticular and Local Infiltration Analgesia in Total Hip Arthroplasty. A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial".

The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume·2026

Same author

The American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and Orthopaedic Residency Education: Dynamic Leadership and Effective Partnerships.

The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume·2025

Same author

What Can We Learn From Large Animal Models of Intraarticular Fracture?

Foot & ankle international·2025

Same author

Substantial Loss of Skeletal Muscle Mass Occurs After High Energy Trauma.

The Iowa orthopaedic journal·2025

Same author

Workplace Culture-A Different Look at the Perspective of Orthopaedic Women Faculty Members: Commentary on an article by Katherine M. Gerull, MD, et al.: "Addressing Issues of Inclusive Workplace Culture for Women Orthopaedic Surgeons in Academia. A Qualitative Investigation".

The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume·2025

Same author

Syndesmosis Malposition Assessed on Weight-Bearing CT Is Common After Operative Fixation of Intra-articular Distal Tibia Plafond Fracture.

Journal of orthopaedic trauma·2022

Area of Science:

Orthopaedic surgery
Radiology
Medical imaging analysis

Background:

Tibial plateau fractures are complex injuries requiring accurate assessment for optimal treatment.
Plain radiographs are a primary imaging modality, but their reliability in characterizing these fractures is debated.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate the reliability of various fracture characteristics assessed from plain radiographs of tibial plateau fractures.
To determine which fracture features can be consistently identified by multiple observers.

Main Methods:

A radiographic review study involving five orthopaedic traumatologists assessing fifty-six tibial plateau fractures.
Assessments included fracture line identification, displacement, comminution, quantitative measurements, and qualitative features.

Related Experiment Videos

Interobserver reliability was measured using percentage agreement, kappa statistics, and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC).

Main Results:

Reliability varied significantly across different assessments.
Identification and location of fracture lines demonstrated the highest reliability.
Subjective assessments (stability, energy) and quantitative measurements showed poor to moderate reliability with wide tolerance limits.

Conclusions:

Many basic radiographic interpretations used in treatment decisions for tibial plateau fractures are inconsistently applied by observers.
Even with experienced raters and precise definitions, agreement is limited.
The reliability of fracture classification is constrained by the inherent variability in interpreting radiographic features.