ASSESSING REPRODUCIBILITY FOR RADIOGRAPHIC MEASUREMENT OF LEG LENGTH INEQUALITY FOR TOTAL HIP REPLACEMENT

Abstract

Introduction: Leg length inequality (LLI) following arthroplasty, though often asymptomatic, can be cause for considerable morbidity and has increasing medicolegal consequences.

There are various methods of quantifying leg length inequality on plain AP radiograph. The aim of this study is to review the established practice in the measurement of leg length inequality and compare it to two methods used locally.

Methods: This is a retrospective study assessing the radiographs of 35 patients with a mix of native, unilateral and bilateral total hip arthroplasty. Two methods of measuring leg length inequality were prominent in the literature, the Woolson method and the Williamson method. A further two methods are used locally. Measurements for all four techniques were made by two senior consultant radiologist to on the trust PACS to assess inter and intra observer variability. Data analysis was performed using SPS 16 to produce intraclass correlation co-efficient (ICC) and Bland Altman plots.

Results: ICC for all methods in the measurement of LLI is excellent (≥0.90). The repeatability ICC for the four methods is; Woolson 0.65, Williamson 0.87, Direct 0.96 and the Leeds method 0.95.

Discussion: This study demonstrates that all four methods have excellent correlation; however the repeatability is better for the Direct and the Leeds methods than the two that are more widely used in the literature. While the Direct measurement is able to give an overall measurement for the leg length inequality, the Leeds method is able to distinguish between any inequality due to cup malpostion and stem malposition. It is therefore of particular value in the assessment of bilateral or revision arthroplasty and the audit of practice.