i have ultrasound data measuring strain of myocardium as the dependant variable. Now i want to compare reliability and agreement of the measurement system between the 2 methods, the test retest and the difference between observers. i am using a LMM to calculate repeatability coeff (2.77 * within patient SD) and ICC (within pat SD / (within pat SD + between pat SD).
I have several factors : patient (1-40), observors (1,2), Method (1,2), scanner (1,2). I am not completely sure how to model this, i know from what i read that the patient should be the random clustering variable, but if seems if i am to calculate ICC and RC's above i have to have observer as a random factor to proportion the variance. does anyone have experience with this type of model?