Validity and interexaminer reliability of a new method to quantify skin neurofibromas of neurofibromatosis 1 using paper frames.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Skin neurofibromas represent one of the main clinical manifestations of neurofibromatosis 1, and their number varies greatly between individuals. Quantifying their number is an important step in the methodology of many clinical studies, but counting neurofibromas one by one in individuals with thousands of tumors is arduous, time-consuming, and subject to intra and interexaminer variability. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a new methodology for skin neurofibromas quantification using paper frames.

Methods

The sample comprised 92 individuals with NF1. Paper frames, with a central square measuring 100 cm2, were placed on the back, abdomen and thigh. Images were taken, transferred to a computer and two independent examiners counted the neurofibromas. The average

SUBMITTER: Cunha KS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4267434 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature