A New modified anthropometric haller index obtained without radiological exposure

To validate a new modified method for measuring the anthropometric Haller index (HI), obtained without radiological exposure. This new method was based on the use of a rigid ruler and of a 2.5 MHz ultrasound transducer for the assessment of latero-lateral and antero-posterior chest diameters, respectively. We enrolled 100 consecutive patients (mean age 67.9 ± 14.5 years, 55% males), who underwent a two-plane CXR, for any clinical indication, over a four-month period. In all patients, the same radiologist calculated the conventional radiological HI (mean value 1.93 ± 0.35) and the same cardiologist used the above described new technique to measure the modified HI (mean value 1.99 ± 0.26). The Bland–Altman analysis showed tight limits of agreement (+ 0.37; − 0.51) between the two measurement methods, with a mild systematic overestimation of the new method as compared to the standard radiological HI. The Pearson’s correlation analysis highlighted a strong correlation between the two methods (r = 0.81, p