title: The value of fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose PET/MRI in the diagnosis of head and neck carcinoma: a meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) PET/MRI has been used in the diagnosis of head and neck carcinoma. The aim of this study was to systematically review and perform a meta-analysis of published data on the performance of F-PET/MRI in the diagnosis of head and neck carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a comprehensive review of the literature on the role of soft-based fusion and integrated 18F-FDG PET/MRI in the diagnosis of head and neck carcinoma. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of soft-based fusion and integrated 18F-FDG PET/MRI in the diagnosis of head and neck carcinoma were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ten studies comprising 421 patients, which included 1879 head and neck primary carcinoma and metastatic lesions, were included in this meta-analysis. 18F-FDG PET/MRI had a pooled sensitivity of 91%, a pooled specificity of 63%, and an area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of 0.96 on a per lesion-based analysis in detecting head and neck carcinoma lesions. Soft-based fusion and integrated 18F-FDG PET/MRI had a pooled sensitivity of 92 and 90%, a pooled specificity of 53 and 87%, and an area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of 0.95 and 0.96, respectively, on a per lesion-based analysis in detecting head and neck carcinoma lesions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  18F-FDG PET/MRI demonstrated high sensitivity and moderate specificity in the diagnosis of head and neck carcinoma lesions. 18F-FDG PET/MRI is an accurate method in the diagnosis of head and neck carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: aInternal Medicine Department of the Medical Healthcare Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing bDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Yanrong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Zhifang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D064847:Multimodal Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18