Faculty Collaboration Database

Effects of interventions on intra- and interobserver agreement on interpretation of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease histology. Ann Diagn Pathol 2011 Feb;15(1):19-24

Date

11/26/2010

Pubmed ID

21106424

DOI

10.1016/j.anndiagpath.2010.08.001

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-78751575786 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   86 Citations

Abstract

Accurate and reproducible interpretation of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) histology has significant clinical and research-related implications. We evaluated the impact of 2 interventions ([1] review of illustrative histologic images of NAFLD with the study pathologists; [2] use of a scoring sheet with written diagnostic criteria for different NAFLD phenotypes) on intra- and interobserver agreement on interpretation of NAFLD histology. Before and after the interventions, 2 pathologists twice read 65 liver biopsies done for evaluation of suspected NAFLD. The intra- and interobserver agreement was highest on assessment of steatosis and fibrosis. The interventions significantly improved the intraobserver agreement only on assessment of hepatocellular ballooning. The interobserver agreement was only fair on assessment of lobular inflammation, ballooning, and diagnostic classification and did not improve after the interventions. Methods to improve interobserver agreement on assessment of lobular inflammation and ballooning are needed and would likely increase pathologists' agreement on NAFLD diagnostic classification.

Author List

Gawrieh S, Knoedler DM, Saeian K, Wallace JR, Komorowski RA

Author

Kia Saeian MD Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Biopsy
Fatty Liver
Humans
Liver Cirrhosis
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Observer Variation
Reproducibility of Results