DIRECT AND INDIRECT METHODS FOR THE QUANTIFICATION OF LEG VOLUME - COMPARISON BETWEEN WATER DISPLACEMENT VOLUMETRY, THE DISK MODEL METHOD AND THE FRUSTUM SIGN MODEL METHOD, USING THE CORRELATION-COEFFICIENT AND THE LIMITS OF AGREEMENT

Volume changes can be measured either directly by water-displacement v olumetry or by various indirect methods in which calculation of the vo lume is based on circumference measurements. The aim of the present st udy was to determine the most appropriate indirect method for lower le g volume calculation using water displacement volumetry as a 'golden s tandard' For 20 male volunteers, age range: 20-35 years, the volume of both lower legs was determined directly by water-displacement volumet ry, and indirectly by the frustum sign model method and the disc model method Calculation of the correlation coefficient and the limits of a greement showed that water-displacement volumetry and the disc model m ethod are interchangeable (r = +0.99, mean +/- 2s = -45 +/- 78 ml), wh ereas this does not hold for the frustum sign model (r = +0.93, mean /- 2s = 521 +/- 238 ml). In the clinical situation volume measurement can be valuable for monitoring of the severity of oedema or haematoma occurrence after surgery or severe trauma. This non-invasive diagnosti c aid may be a valuable adjuvant means of diagnosis for several volume dependent disorders of the extremities.