Diagnostic performance of cardiac magnetic resonance for the detection of acute cardiac allograft rejection: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
BACKGROUND
Several studies have addressed the diagnostic accuracy of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) to assess acute cardiac allograft rejection (ACAR) compared with endomyocardial biopsy (EMB). But the methodological heterogeneity limited the clinical application of CMR. Accordingly, we have sought a comprehensive, systematic literature review and meta-analysis for the purpose.


METHODS
Studies prior to September 1, 2014 identified by Medline/PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrance search and citation tracking were examined by two independent reviewers. A study was included if a CMR was used as a diagnostic test for the detection of ACAR.


RESULTS
Of the seven articles met the inclusion criteria. Only four studies using T2 relaxation time as a CMR parameter could be pooled results, because the number of studies using other parameters was less than three. By using DerSimonian-Laird random effects model, meta-analysis demonstrated a pooled sensitivity of 90% [95% confidence interval (CI), 79% to 97%], a pooled specificity of 83% (95% CI, 78% to 88%), and a pooled diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) of 61.66 (95% CI, 18.09 to 210.10).


CONCLUSIONS
CMR seems to have a high sensitivity and moderate specificity in the diagnosis of ACAR. However, as a result of CMR for diagnostic ACAR should be comprehensively considered by physicians and imaging experts in the context of clinical presentations and imaging feature. Further investigations are still required to test different parameters and study condition.
1 Department of Cardiac Surgery, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, Beijing 100029, China ; 2 Department of Cardiology, 3 Department of Pediatric Heart Center, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100029, China.
Wei
W
Lu
1 Department of Cardiac Surgery, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, Beijing 100029, China ; 2 Department of Cardiology, 3 Department of Pediatric Heart Center, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100029, China.
Jun
J
Zheng
1 Department of Cardiac Surgery, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, Beijing 100029, China ; 2 Department of Cardiology, 3 Department of Pediatric Heart Center, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100029, China.
Xu-Dong
XD
Pan
1 Department of Cardiac Surgery, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, Beijing 100029, China ; 2 Department of Cardiology, 3 Department of Pediatric Heart Center, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100029, China.
Ming-Duo
MD
Zhang
1 Department of Cardiac Surgery, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, Beijing 100029, China ; 2 Department of Cardiology, 3 Department of Pediatric Heart Center, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100029, China.
Tie-Yuan
TY
Zhu
1 Department of Cardiac Surgery, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, Beijing 100029, China ; 2 Department of Cardiology, 3 Department of Pediatric Heart Center, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100029, China.
Bin
B
Li
1 Department of Cardiac Surgery, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, Beijing 100029, China ; 2 Department of Cardiology, 3 Department of Pediatric Heart Center, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100029, China.
Li-Zhong
LZ
Sun
Magnetic resonance imaging; graft rejection; heart transplantation (HTX)