title: Meta-analysis of diagnostic value of 18F-FDG PET or PET/CT for detecting lymph node and distant metastases in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We performed this meta-analysis to comprehensively assess the diagnostic performance of positron emission tomography (PET) or PET/CT for detecting lymph node and distant metastases in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Through a search of four English and three Chinese databases (January 1990 to June 2013), pooled estimated sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) were calculated based on the data extracted from the included studies. We also constructed summary receiver operating characteristic curves, with the area under the curve (AUC) and obtained the Q* index. Heterogeneity and subgroup analysis were also performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 18 articles consisting 20 studies were included in this meta-analysis. On a per-patient basis, the overall pooled estimates for sensitivity and specificity of PET or PET/CT in N and M staging of NPC were 0.89 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.86-0.91] and 0.96 (95% CI, 0.95-0.96), respectively. The overall DOR, AUC and Q* index were 162.07 (95% CI, 90.72-289.55), 0.9689 and 0.9181, respectively. Subgroup analysis showed that AUC and Q* index were 0.9734 and 0.9255 for N staging and 0.9715 and 0.9223 for M staging, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present meta-analysis showed that PET or PET/CT has excellent diagnostic performance for detecting lymph node and distant metastases in patients with NPC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To provide evidence to assess the role of PET or PET/CT in staging of NPC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Sichuan, China.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Deng
mesh_terms: D002277:Carcinoma; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000077274:Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D012372:ROC Curve; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18