Study design: Diagnostic study, level of evidence III.
Objective: Pyogenic spondylodiscitis can cause deformity, neurological compromise, disability, and death. Recently, a new classification of spondylodiscitis based on magnetic resonance imaging was published. The objective of this study is to perform an independent reliability analysis of this new classification.
Methods: We selected 35 cases from our database of different spine centers in Latin America and from the literature; 8 observers evaluated the classification and graded the scenarios according to the methodological grading of the classification developed by Pola et al. Cases were sent to the observers in a random sequence after 3 weeks to assess intraobserver reliability. The interobserver and intraobserver reliabilities were performed with Fleiss and Cohen statistics, respectively.
Results: The overall Fleiss κ value for interobserver agreement was substantial, with 0.67 (95% CI = 0.43-0.91) in the first reading and 0.67 (95% CI = 0.45-0.89) in second reading for the main types of classification. The Cohen κ value for intraobserver agreement was also substantial, with 0.68 (95% CI = 0.45-0.92). The interobserver agreement analysis for the subtypes of this classification was overall substantial, with 0.60 (95% CI = 0.37-0.83) in the first reading and 0.61 (95% CI = 0.41-0.81) in the second reading. The overall intraobserver agreement for subtypes of the classification was also substantial, with 0.63 (95% CI = 0.34-0.93).
Conclusion: The new classification developed by Pola et al showed substantial interobserver and intraobserver agreements. More studies are required to validate the usefulness of this classification especially in clinical practice.
Keywords: disc space infection; pyogenic spondylodiscitis; spondylodiscitis classification; vertebral osteomyelitis.