BACKGROUND: International guidelines of Ultrasound recommend the performance of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) as the first method of choice after conventional ultrasound for the diagnostic work-up of focal liver lesions. However, these recommendations are based on the results of multiple single studies and only few large multicentre studies. AIMS: The rationale of the present systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the overall sensitivity and specificity of CEUS for the diagnosis of malignant liver lesions. METHODS: Literature databases were searched up to March 2012. Inclusion criteria were evaluation of CEUS, assessment of sensitivity and specificity of CEUS for the diagnosis of malignant liver lesions. The meta-analysis was performed using the random-effects model based on the DerSimonian Laird method. Quality analyses were carried out to assess sources of heterogeneity. RESULTS: A total of 45 studies with 8147 focal liver lesions were included in the analysis. Overall sensitivity and specificity of CEUS for the diagnosis of malignant liver lesions was 93% (95%-CI: 91-95%) and 90% (95%-CI: 88-92%) respectively. Significant heterogeneity was found between studies. However, subanalysis revealed no significant difference when evaluating studies using histology for all liver lesions, when comparing high-quality and low-quality studies, and blinded vs non-blinded studies. CONCLUSION: The results of this meta-analysis support the international recommendations on CEUS for the diagnostic work-up of focal liver lesions selecting patients who need further diagnostics.
BACKGROUND: International guidelines of Ultrasound recommend the performance of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) as the first method of choice after conventional ultrasound for the diagnostic work-up of focal liver lesions. However, these recommendations are based on the results of multiple single studies and only few large multicentre studies. AIMS: The rationale of the present systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the overall sensitivity and specificity of CEUS for the diagnosis of malignant liver lesions. METHODS: Literature databases were searched up to March 2012. Inclusion criteria were evaluation of CEUS, assessment of sensitivity and specificity of CEUS for the diagnosis of malignant liver lesions. The meta-analysis was performed using the random-effects model based on the DerSimonian Laird method. Quality analyses were carried out to assess sources of heterogeneity. RESULTS: A total of 45 studies with 8147 focal liver lesions were included in the analysis. Overall sensitivity and specificity of CEUS for the diagnosis of malignant liver lesions was 93% (95%-CI: 91-95%) and 90% (95%-CI: 88-92%) respectively. Significant heterogeneity was found between studies. However, subanalysis revealed no significant difference when evaluating studies using histology for all liver lesions, when comparing high-quality and low-quality studies, and blinded vs non-blinded studies. CONCLUSION: The results of this meta-analysis support the international recommendations on CEUS for the diagnostic work-up of focal liver lesions selecting patients who need further diagnostics.
Authors: Barbara Schellhaas; Matthias Hammon; Deike Strobel; Lukas Pfeifer; Christian Kielisch; Ruediger S Goertz; Alexander Cavallaro; Rolf Janka; Markus F Neurath; Michael Uder; Hannes Seuss Journal: Eur Radiol Date: 2018-04-19 Impact factor: 5.315
Authors: Maxime Ronot; Sara Di Renzo; Bettina Gregoli; Rafael Duran; Laurent Castera; Bernard E Van Beers; Valérie Vilgrain Journal: Eur Radiol Date: 2014-09-19 Impact factor: 5.315
Authors: Casey N Ta; Yuko Kono; Mohammad Eghtedari; Young Taik Oh; Michelle L Robbin; Richard G Barr; Andrew C Kummel; Robert F Mattrey Journal: Radiology Date: 2017-10-25 Impact factor: 11.105