A research team investigated operator reliability with two 3D laser-free scanners compared with tape measurements of residual limb shape and volume in people with lower-limb amputations. The team concluded that the scanners can reliably measure small and macroscopic changes in the residuum.
Ten people with lower-limb amputations participated in the study. Residuum volume, cross sectional areas, and perimeter lengths were measured by three different operators on three different occasions using the Artec Eva scanner, the WillowWood OMEGA Scanner 3D, and circumferential measurements.
Volume outputs of the residual limb ranged from 569 to 3115 mL. The shape of the residuum contributed to most residuum volume error variance (75.85 percent). Volume intraclass correlation coefficients for both intra-rater and inter-rater reliability exceeded 0.9 for all three conditions. The Artec Eva scanner resulted in the lowest test-operator reliability coefficients; however, both investigated scanners are a potential alternative for measuring small and macroscopic changes in residuum characteristics, the researchers concluded.
The study, “Reliability of three different methods for assessing amputee residuum shape and volume: 3D scanners vs. circumferential measurements,” was published in Prosthetics and Orthotics International.
