Assessing Arm Volume in People During and After Treatment for Breast Cancer: Reliability and Convergent Validity of the LymphaTech System
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AbstractBackgroundThere are challenges related to the accurate and efficient measurement of lymphedema in people with breast cancer. The LymphaTech 3D Imaging System (LymphaTech, Atlanta, GA, USA) is a mobile, noninvasive platform that provides limb geometry measurements.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to estimate the reliability and validity of the LymphaTech for measuring arm volume in the context of women seeking care in a specialty breast cancer rehabilitation clinic.DesignThis was a cross-sectional reliability and convergent validity study.MethodsPeople who had stage I to IV breast cancer with lymphedema or were at risk for it were included. Arm volume was measured in 66 participants using the LymphaTech and perometer methods. Test-retest reliability for a single measure, limb volume difference, and agreement between methods was analyzed for 30 participants. A method-comparison analysis was also used to assess convergent validity between methods.ResultsBoth LymphaTech and perometer methods displayed intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) of ≥0.99. The standard errors of measurement for the LymphaTech and length-matched perometer measurements were nearly identical. Similar intraclass correlation coefficients (0.97) and standard errors of measurement (38.0–40.7 mL) were obtained for the between-limb volume difference for both methods. The convergent validity analyses demonstrated no systematic difference between methods.LimitationsThe sample size was not based on a formal sample size calculation. LymphaTech measurements included interrater variance, and perometer measurements contained intrarater variance.ConclusionsThe LymphaTech had excellent test-retest reliability, and convergent validity was supported. This technology is efficient and portable and has a potential role in prospective surveillance and management of lymphedema in clinical, research, and home settings.
