Radiographic Sagittal Tibio-Talar Offset in Ankle Arthrodesis—Accuracy and Reliability of Measurements

Abstract

Radiographic outcome assessment of ankle arthrodesis (AA) requires accurate measurement techniques. This study aimed to identify the most reliable methods for sagittal tibio-talar alignment measurements with regard to the tibio-talar offset after AA. Lateral weight-bearing radiographs of 38 fused ankles were selected for retrospective review. The sagittal tibio-talar angle (STTA), the modified tibio-talar ratio (mT-T ratio) and the sagittal tibio-talar offset (tibCOR, procLAT) were measured by three independent observers. Intra- and interobserver correlation coefficients (ICC) and mean measurement differences were calculated to assess measurement reliability and accuracy. By defining the talar longitudinal axis as a line from the inferior aspect of the posterior tubercle of the talus to the most inferior aspect of the talar neck, STTA showed excellent (ICC 0.924; CI 95% 0.862–0.959) and mTT-ratio provided high (ICC 0.836; CI 95% 0.721–0.909) interobserver reliability, respectively. For tibio-talar offset measurement the tibCOR method showed superior reliability and better interobserver agreement compared to the procLAT technique. The STTA and a modified T-T ratio are recommended for future scientific radiographic measurements in AA.