Observer Variation

"Observer Variation" is a descriptor in the National Library of Medicine's controlled vocabulary thesaurus, MeSH (Medical Subject Headings). Descriptors are arranged in a hierarchical structure, which enables searching at various levels of specificity.

MeSH information

Definition | Details | More General Concepts | Related Concepts | More Specific Concepts

The failure by the observer to measure or identify a phenomenon accurately, which results in an error. Sources for this may be due to the observer's missing an abnormality, or to faulty technique resulting in incorrect test measurement, or to misinterpretation of the data. Two varieties are inter-observer variation (the amount observers vary from one another when reporting on the same material) and intra-observer variation (the amount one observer varies between observations when reporting more than once on the same material).

Descriptor ID	D015588
MeSH Number(s)	E01.354.753 N02.421.450.600 N05.715.350.150.675 N06.850.490.500.250
Concept/Terms	Observer Variation Observer Variation Observer Variations Variation, Observer Variations, Observer Bias, Observer Observer Bias Interobserver Variation Interobserver Variation Interobserver Variations Variation, Interobserver Variations, Interobserver Inter-Observer Variation Inter Observer Variation Inter-Observer Variations Variation, Inter-Observer Variations, Inter-Observer Interobserver Variability Interobserver Variabilities Variabilities, Interobserver Variability, Interobserver Inter-Observer Variability Inter Observer Variability Inter-Observer Variabilities Variabilities, Inter-Observer Variability, Inter-Observer Intraobserver Variation Intraobserver Variation Intraobserver Variations Variation, Intraobserver Variations, Intraobserver Intra-Observer Variation Intra Observer Variation Intra-Observer Variations Variation, Intra-Observer Variations, Intra-Observer Intraobserver Variability Intraobserver Variabilities Variabilities, Intraobserver Variability, Intraobserver Intra-Observer Variability Intra Observer Variability Intra-Observer Variabilities Variabilities, Intra-Observer Variability, Intra-Observer

Below are MeSH descriptors whose meaning is more general than "Observer Variation".

Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment [E]
Diagnosis [E01]
Diagnostic Errors [E01.354]
Observer Variation [E01.354.753]
Health Care [N]
Health Care Facilities, Manpower, and Services [N02]
Health Services [N02.421]
Medical Errors [N02.421.450]
Observer Variation [N02.421.450.600]
Health Care Quality, Access, and Evaluation [N05]
Quality of Health Care [N05.715]
Epidemiologic Factors [N05.715.350]
Bias [N05.715.350.150]
Observer Variation [N05.715.350.150.675]
Environment and Public Health [N06]
Public Health [N06.850]
Epidemiologic Factors [N06.850.490]
Bias [N06.850.490.500]
Observer Variation [N06.850.490.500.250]

Below are MeSH descriptors whose meaning is related to "Observer Variation".

Below are MeSH descriptors whose meaning is more specific than "Observer Variation".

publications

Timeline | Most Recent

This graph shows the total number of publications written about "Observer Variation" by people in this website by year, and whether "Observer Variation" was a major or minor topic of these publications.

Bar chart showing 333 publications over 29 distinct years, with a maximum of 21 publications in 2006 and 2011

To see the data from this visualization as text, click here.

Year	Major Topic	Minor Topic	Total
1996	0	10	10
1997	0	10	10
1998	0	9	9
1999	0	11	11
2000	0	7	7
2001	0	8	8
2002	1	12	13
2003	0	19	19
2004	0	7	7
2005	0	7	7
2006	0	21	21
2007	0	9	9
2008	0	12	12
2009	1	12	13
2010	0	16	16
2011	0	21	21
2012	0	15	15
2013	0	7	7
2014	0	19	19
2015	0	17	17
2016	1	12	13
2017	1	14	15
2018	0	11	11
2019	0	10	10
2020	0	9	9
2021	0	5	5
2022	0	11	11
2023	0	2	2
2024	4	2	6

Below are the most recent publications written about "Observer Variation" by people in Profiles.

Bernhardt M, Weinhold L, Bremmer F, Chan E, Cheng L, Collins K, Downes M, Greenland N, Hommerding O, Iczkowski KA, Jufe L, Kreft T, van Leenders G, Oxley J, Perry-Keene J, Reis H, Schmid M, Tsuzuki T, Wobker S, Wiliamson SR, Kweldam C, Kristiansen G. Unexpectedly high variability in determining tumour extent in prostatic biopsies: implications for active surveillance. Histopathology. 2025 Mar; 86(4):627-639.

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Kuon Yeng Escalante CM, Siu Xiao T, Kono Y, Piscaglia F, Wilson SR, Medellin A, Rodgers SK, Planz V, Kamaya A, Fetzer DT, Berzigotti A, Sidhu PS, Wessner CE, Bradigan K, Eisenbrey JR, Forsberg F, Lyshchik A. Inter-Reader Agreement for Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System Major Features and Final Categorization: A Subanalysis From a Prospective Multicenter Study. J Ultrasound Med. 2025 Feb; 44(2):349-357.

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Georgiadis AG, Davids JR, Goodbody CM, Howard JJ, Karamitopoulos MS, Payares-Lizano M, Pierz KA, Rhodes JT, Shore BJ, Shrader MW, Tabaie SA, Thompson RM, Torres-Izquierdo B, Wimberly RL, Hosseinzadeh P. Reliability of a Photo-Based Modified Foot Posture Index (MFPI) in Quantifying Severity of Foot Deformity in Children With Cerebral Palsy. J Pediatr Orthop. 2025 Jan 01; 45(1):e59-e65.

View in: PubMed
Essien M, Cooper ME, Gore A, Min TL, Risk BB, Sadigh G, Hu R, Hoch MJ, Weinberg BD. Interrater Agreement of BT-RADS for Evaluation of Follow-up MRI in Patients with Treated Primary Brain Tumor. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2024 Sep 09; 45(9):1308-1315.

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Gokozan HN, Mostyka M, Scognamiglio T, Solomon JP, Beg S, Stern E, Goyal A, Siddiqui MT, Heymann JJ. Diagnostic interobserver agreement for thyroid fine-needle aspirates: Effects of reviewer experience and molecular diagnostics. Am J Clin Pathol. 2024 Sep 03; 162(3):302-313.

View in: PubMed
Pohl NB, Brush PL, Aita D, Kistler JM, Jones CM, Tosti R, Fletcher DJ. A novel classification of intraoperative ulnar nerve instability to aid transposition surgery. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2024 Aug; 33(8):1694-1698.

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Spinnato P, Petrera MR, Parmeggiani A, Manzetti M, Ruffilli A, Faldini C, D'Agostino V, Di Carlo M, Cumani MP, Cromb? A, Matcuk GR, Miceli M. A new comprehensive MRI classification and grading system for lumbosacral central and lateral stenosis: clinical application and comparison with previous systems. Radiol Med. 2024 Jan; 129(1):93-106.

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Ratwani AP, Chen H, Brown L, Schwartz EA, Patel K, Guttentag A, McLaren TA, Sandler KL, Rickman OB, Shojaee S, Lentz RJ, Maldonado F. Inter-rater reliability of a novel objective endpoint for benign central airway stenosis interventions: Segmentation-based volume rendering of computed tomography scans. PLoS One. 2023; 18(10):e0290393.

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Karamian BA, Schroeder GD, Lambrechts MJ, Canseco JA, Oner C, Vialle E, Rajasekaran S, Dvorak MR, Benneker LM, Kandziora F, Schnake K, Kepler CK, Vaccaro AR. An international validation of the AO spine subaxial injury classification system. Eur Spine J. 2023 01; 32(1):46-54.

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Lambrechts MJ, Schroeder GD, Karamian BA, Canseco JA, Oner FC, Benneker LM, Bransford RJ, Kandziora F, Rajasekaran S, El-Sharkawi M, Kanna R, Joaquim AF, Schnake K, Kepler CK, Vaccaro AR. Effect of surgical experience and spine subspecialty on the reliability of the AO Spine Upper Cervical Injury Classification System. J Neurosurg Spine. 2023 01 01; 38(1):31-41.

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