title: [Evaluation of (18)F-FDG PET/CT in preoperative staging of gastric cancer: a meta-analysis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To comprehensively evaluate the diagnostic value of (18)F-FDG PET/CT in preoperative staging.
  
  
  METHODS
  Relevant studies published until March 31st, 2012 were identified in the PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, CBM, CNKI databases. The studies were accessed according to QUADAS and the value of sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio(PLR), negative likelihood ratio(NLR), AUC were pooled by MetaDisc software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifteen studies were included. (18)F-FDG PET/CT was able to identify primary tumor with overall sensitivity, specificity, PLR, NLR, and AUC of 0.921(0.871-0.956), 0.895(0.785-0.960), 5.12(2.69-9.73), 0.13(0.08-0.20), 0.9520, respectively. While the diagnostic performance of (18)F-FDG PET/CT for regional lymph node status was less reliable, with overall sensitivity, specificity, PLR, NLR, and AUC of 0.613(0.555- 0.668), 0.986(0.960-0.997), 11.68(5.52-24.73), 0.36(0.24-0.55), 0.9343 respectively. As for distant metastases, the diagnostic performance was with overall sensitivity, specificity, PLR, NLR, and AUC of 0.792(0.703-0.865), 0.976(0.951-0.990), 16.70(9.00-39.97), 0.26(0.18-0.39), 0.9454 respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  (18)F-FDG PET/CT is valuable for preoperative staging of gastric cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China. chenlinbj@vip.sina.com.
authors.forename: Jian-Xin
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hong-Qing
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Xi
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18