EVALUATION OF THE SINGH INDEX FOR MEASURING OSTEOPOROSIS

We studied the reliability of the Singh classification of trabecular b one structure in the proximal femur as a measure of osteoporosis, usin g kappa statistics. Radiographs of fractures of the femoral neck or tr ochanteric region in 80 consecutive patients were assessed by six obse rvers. The interobserver variation was large; only three of 72 radiogr aphs were given the same classification by all six observers and the k appa values ranged from 0.15 to 0.54. The intraobserver variation show ed substantial strength of agreement; kappa values ranged from 0.63 to 0.88. Zn 77 patients dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to mea sure bone mineral density, The results were compared with those of the Singh classification: we found no correlation.