title: Accuracy of diagnosis of salivary gland tumors with the use of ultrasonography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging: a meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare ultrasonography (US), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for clinical differential diagnosis in patients with salivary gland tumor (SGT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Six databases were used to search the literature published between 1982 and 2013. Histologic diagnosis was required as standard diagnosis. Pooled estimate for sensitivity, specificity, summary receiver-operating characteristic curve (SROC) and area under curve (AUC) were calculated and compared using STATA and Meta-Disc statistical software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nineteen articles were included. Pooled sensitivity for US, CT, and MRI was 0.629 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.52-0.73), 0.830 (95% CI 0.74-0.90), and 0.807 (95% CI 0.73-0.87), respectively; pooled specificity for US, CT, and MRI was 0.920 (95% CI 0.89-0.94), 0.851 (95% CI 0.79-0.90), and 0.886 (95% CI 0.85-0.92), respectively. The AUC under SROC for US, CT, and MRI was 0.934 ± 0.058, 0.912 ± 0.889, and 0.903 ± 0.045, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CT is recommended, as it is an effective imaging tool for differential diagnosis in patients with primary SGT, and MRI is suggested for differential diagnosis between benign and malignant GSTs because of its highest sensitivity and specificity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yi-ran
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: Xiongpxp@163.com.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: Zhonglp@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Lai-ping
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Zhong
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D012468:Salivary Gland Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography