Diagnostic accuracy of 18F-FDGPET or PET/CT for large vessel vasculitis : A meta-analysis.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography (18F-FDGPET) or positron-emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) for patients with large vessel vasculitis. Based on a search in the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases, a meta-analysis was performed on the diagnostic accuracy of 18F-FDGPET or PET/CT in patients with large vessel vasculitis. A total of eight studies involving 400subjects (170vasculitis patients and 230controls) were selected for meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of 18F-FDGPET or PET/CT were 75.9 % (95 % confidence interval, CI68.7-82.1) and 93.0 % (95 % CI88.9-96.0), respectively. The positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) were7.267 (95 % CI3.707-14.24), 0.303(95 % CI0.229-0.400), and 32.04 (95 % CI13.08-78.45), respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) was0.863 and the Q* index0.794, indicating good diagnostic accuracy. There was no evidence of a threshold effect (Spearman's correlation coefficient= 0.120, p = 0.776). When the data were limited to giant cell arteritis (GCA), the pooled sensitivity and specificity of 18F-FDGPET or PET/CT were 83.3 % (95 % CI72.1-91.4) and 89.6 % (95 % CI79.7-95.7), respectively; AUC was0.884, and the Q* index 0.815, indicating modest accuracy with a small increase in diagnostic accuracy. This meta-analysis of published studies demonstrates that 18F-FDGPET or PET/CT has good diagnostic accuracy for large vessel vasculitis and plays an important role in the diagnosis of this condition.