Interrater reliability of spectrogram for detecting wheezing in children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Pulmonology
• Medical Diagnostics
• Acoustic Analysis

Background:

• Auscultation is a common but subjective method for diagnosing lung conditions.
• Visualizing respiratory sounds via spectrograms may offer a more objective diagnostic approach.
• Wheezing diagnosis in children requires reliable and accurate methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the diagnostic efficacy of auscultation versus spectrogram analysis for wheezing in children.
• To assess the interrater reliability and agreement for both diagnostic methods.
• To determine if spectrograms can enhance the accuracy of wheezing diagnosis.

Main Methods:

• 55 respiratory sound files from children were analyzed by three pediatric pulmonologists.
• Pulmonologists performed assessments via traditional auscultation and by reviewing spectrograms.
• Interrater reliability and agreement were statistically evaluated for both methods.

Main Results:

• Auscultation showed 88% agreement and good reliability (κ = 0.76).
• Spectrogram analysis yielded 83% agreement and good reliability (κ = 0.66).
• Agreement between spectrographic findings and diagnosed wheezing ranged from 75% to 93%, with very good reliability (κ = 0.49–0.85).

Conclusions:

• Spectrograms demonstrate potential as a valuable tool for diagnosing pediatric wheezing.
• This visual method may improve diagnostic accuracy, particularly for early-career clinicians.
• Spectrogram analysis offers a more objective and reliable approach to wheezing detection.