Does Interrater Variation Influence the Classification According to the Diagnostic Criteria for Multiple Sclerosis?

ABSTRACT:

Background

Studies on interrater agreement in MRI analysis for patients experiencing a first clinical episode suggestive of multiple sclerosis (MS) are limited and outdated. This study aimed to evaluate interrater agreement for lesion identification in the brain, optic nerve, and spinal cord, and to assess variability in applying the 2017 and 2024 McDonald criteria.

Methods

Seventy-eight patients underwent a standardized multisequence 3 Tesla MRI of the brain, optic nerves, and spinal cord, analyzed by three readers with varying expertise. Lesions were categorized based on location according to McDonald criteria. Interrater variability was measured using Cohen's κ for pairwise reader comparisons and Fleiss κ for overall agreement.

Results

Interrater agreement ranged f

SUBMITTER: Mahmoudi N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12828338 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature