title: Screening Performance Characteristic of Ultrasonography and Radiography in Detection of Pleural Effusion; a Meta-Analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The role of ultrasonography in detection of pleural effusion has long been a subject of interest but controversial results have been reported. Accordingly, this study aims to conduct a systematic review of the available literature on diagnostic value of ultrasonography and radiography in detection of pleural effusion through a meta-analytic approach.
  
  
  METHODS
  An extended search was done in databases of Medline, EMBASE, ISI Web of Knowledge, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and ProQuest. Two reviewers independently extracted the data and assessed the quality of the articles. Meta-analysis was performed using a mixed-effects binary regression model. Finally, subgroup analysis was carried out in order to find the sources of heterogeneity between the included studies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  12 studies were included in this meta-analysis (1554 subjects, 58.6% male). Pooled sensitivity of ultrasonography in detection of pleural effusion was 0.94 (95% CI: 0.88-0.97; I2= 84.23, p<0.001) and its pooled specificity was calculated to be 0.98 (95% CI: 0.92-1.0; I2= 88.65, p<0.001), while sensitivity and specificity of chest radiography were 0.51 (95% CI: 0.33-0.68; I2= 91.76, p<0.001) and 0.91 (95% CI: 0.68-0.98; I2= 92.86, p<0.001), respectively. Sensitivity of ultrasonography was found to be higher when the procedure was carried out by an intensivist or a radiologist using 5-10 MHz transducers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chest ultrasonography, as a screening tool, has a higher diagnostic accuracy in identification of plural effusion compared to radiography. The sensitivity of this imaging modality was found to be higher when performed by a radiologist or an intensivist and using 5-10MHz probes.
authors: Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Mahmoud
authors: M
authors: Yousefifard
authors: Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Masoud
authors: M
authors: Baikpour
authors: Department of Intensive Care Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Parisa
authors: P
authors: Ghelichkhani
authors: Department of Occupational Health Engineering, Faculty of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Hadi
authors: H
authors: Asady
authors: Road Traffic Injury Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors: Kavous
authors: K
authors: Shahsavari Nia
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
authors: Ali
authors: A
authors: Moghadas Jafari
authors: Sina Trauma and Surgery Research Center, Tehran University Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, school of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Mostafa
authors: M
authors: Hosseini
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, Shohadaye Tajrish Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Saeed
authors: S
authors: Safari
keywords: Pleural Effusion; diagnostic tests; radiography; routine; ultrasonography