The Diagnostic Accuracy of the Clinical Examination

High Point University25 enrolled

Overview

This study examines the diagnostic accuracy of the clinical examination as compared to MRI findings

When patients get musculoskeletal pain and seek care, the healthcare professional performs a detailed clinical examination to determine a diagnosis and determine a plan of care which often includes imaging. There are only a few studies that have looked at the accuracy of the clinical examination in a primary care setting, most studies having been performed in a specialty practice treating Orthopedic or Sports injuries. In these practices, surgery has become and remains the gold standard. However, in primary care, often imaging like Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has become the the criterion standard. This double blind study will compare the diagnosis reached by clinical exam to the results found on MRI. In addition, the examining clinician will report their recommended plan of care after the examination.

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

Conditions

Musculoskeletal Pain Musculoskeletal Injury

Interventions

clinical examinationDIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Thorough examination including history, screening, motion testing, strength testing, special testing

MRIOTHER

Low field MRI .25 Tesla

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 80 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Subjects 18-80 years old with musculoskeletal pain/dysfunction Exclusion Criteria: * Outside the inclusion age range, pain/dysfunction of other than musculoskeletal origin, those in whom MRI is contraindicated for example, with shrapnel in the body

Locations (1)

High Point University

High Point, North Carolina, United States

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

likelihood ratios

combination of sensitivity

Time frame: 5 years

Area under the curve

measure of accuracy of the clinical exam

Time frame: 5 years

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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