Objectives: A new ultrasound-based device is proposed to measure the patient-specific pelvic tilt in different daily positions. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of this device as well as the intraobserver and interobserver precisions.
Methods: The accuracy was assessed by performing several tilt measurements with the device on a testing mechanical bench. The error was defined as the difference between the tilt measured with the device and the tilt provided by this test bench. Three physicians, a novice, an intermediate, and an expert user, were also asked to perform 10 measurements on 3 healthy volunteers with low, medium, and high body mass indices to analyze the intraobserver and interobserver precisions. These 10 measurements were performed in the standing, sitting, and supine positions.
Results: The mean accuracy of the device ± SD was 1.1° ± 0.7° (range, 0°-4.0°). The interobserver and intraobserver precisions were excellent whatever the body mass index and good to excellent according to the positions. There was no learning curve, and the time required to complete the measurements was approximately 5 minutes.
Conclusions: This study presents an accurate and precise noninvasive device for measurement of the pelvic tilt in different positions.
Keywords: pelvic tilt; total hip arthroplasty; ultrasound-based measurement device.
© 2019 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.