FDG PET or PET-CT versus MRI in detecting local residue or recurrence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma after radiotherapy: a meta-analysis / 中华放射肿瘤学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To compare the value of 18 F-labeled deoxyglucose (FDG) PET or PET-CT with MRI in detecting local residue or recurrence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma after radiotherapy, by performing a meta-analysis of relevant trials.Methods A literature search was performed to English original articles about FDG PET or PET-CT and MRI in Medline, Embase and the Cochrane database from January 1995 to August 2009.The reference standard was histopathologic analysis and/or close clinical and imaging follow-up.Two reviewers searched articles and extracted data independently.Sensitivity, specificity,summary receiver operating characteristic curves (SROC), and the Q index for FDG PET or PET-CT and MRI were pooled, respectively.Results Seventeen studies about FDG PET or PET-CT and 10 studies about MRI were included in this meta-analysis.The pooled sensitivity of FDG PET or PET-CT and MRI were 0.935(95% CI= 0.901 -0.964) and 0.792 (95% CI= 0.731 -0.844), separately.The pooled specificity were 0.924 (95 % CI= 0.898 - 0.945) and 0.787 (95 % GI= 0.746 - 0.825), separately.Area under SROC curves of PET-CT or PET (0.966) was significantly larger than that of MRI (0.852) (z =2.29, P < 0.05).The Q * index estimates for PET-CT or PET (0.914) were significantly higher than for MRI (0.783)(z=2.94,P<0.05).Conclusions FDG-PET/PET-CT has higher accuracy than MRI in diagnosing local residue or recurrence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma after radiotherapy.