Reliability of an automated high-resolution manometry analysis program across expert users, novice users, and...

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology and Hepatology
• Medical Imaging and Diagnostics
• Speech and Hearing Sciences

Background:

• High-resolution manometry (HRM) is crucial for assessing swallowing disorders.
• Interpreting HRM data traditionally requires specialized expertise.
• Automated analysis tools aim to standardize and simplify HRM data interpretation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the reliability of a semiautomated HRM analysis program.
• To compare inter- and intrarater reliability across expert users, novice users, and speech-language pathologists.
• To test the hypothesis that all user groups would exhibit high reliability.

Main Methods:

• A semiautomated HRM analysis program was used.
• Participants included 3 expert users, 15 novice users, and 5 speech-language pathologists.
• Users analyzed 30 HRM plots after a 20-minute training session, with reliability assessed via intraclass correlations.

Main Results:

• High within-group interrater reliability (0.54–0.99) and intergroup reliability (0.92–0.99) were observed.
• Intrarater reliability ranged from 0.67 to 1.00 across all user groups.
• No significant differences in output parameters were found among the user groups.

Conclusions:

• A short training session enables individuals with limited prior knowledge to achieve high reliability in HRM analysis.
• The semiautomated program demonstrates potential for both research and clinical applications due to its ease of use and training.
• This technology can broaden the accessibility of HRM data analysis.