title: Computer tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and positron emission tomography or positron emission tomography/computer tomography for detection of metastatic lymph nodes in patients with ovarian cancer: a meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the diagnostic performances of computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, and positron emission tomography (PET or PET/CT) for detection of metastatic lymph nodes in patients with ovarian cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Relevant studies were identified with MEDLINE and EMBASE from January 1990 to July 2010. We estimated the weighted summary sensitivities, specificities, OR (odds ratio), and summary receiver operating characteristic (sROC) curves of each imaging technique and conducted pair-wise comparisons using the two-sample Z-test. Meta-regression, subgroup analysis, and funnel plots were also performed to explain the between-study heterogeneity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighteen eligible studies were included, with a total of 882 patients. PET or PET/CT was a more accurate modality (sensitivity, 73.2%; specificity, 96.7%; OR [odds ratio], 90.32). No significant difference was detected between CT (sensitivity, 42.6%; specificity, 95.0%; OR, 19.87) and MR imaging (sensitivity, 54.7%; specificity, 88.3%; OR, 12.38). Meta-regression analyses and subgroup analyses revealed no statistical difference. Funnel plots with marked asymmetry suggested a publication bias.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FDG-PET or FDG-PET/CT is more accurate than CT and MR imaging in the detection of lymph node metastasis in patients with ovarian cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Zhao-Xiang
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Xiao-Feng
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.forename: Shi-Yuan
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000556:secondary*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013382:Subtraction Technique / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*