Diagnostic performance of F-18 FDG PET/CT in the detection of bone marrow involvement in paediatric hodgkin lymphoma: A meta-analysis

Abstract

ObjectivesThe present study aimed to investigate the diagnostic performance of F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in the detection of bone marrow involvement (BMI) in paediatric Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) through a systematic review and meta-analysis. MethodsPubMed, Cochrane, and EMBASE databases were searched from the earliest available date of indexing till March 31, 2020 for studies evaluating the diagnostic performance of F-18 FDG PET/CT in the detection of BMI in paediatric HL. ResultsAcross seven studies (1265 patients), the pooled sensitivity of F-18 FDG PET or PET/CT was 0.95 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.87–0.98) with heterogeneity (I2 = 86.2, p < 0.001), and the pooled specificity was 0.97 (95% CI: 0.84–1.00) with heterogeneity (I2 = 97.2, p < 0.001). Likelihood ratio syntheses provided an overall positive likelihood ratio of 37.8 (95% CI: 5.2–274.9) and a negative likelihood ratio of 0.05 (95% CI: 0.02–0.14). The pooled diagnostic odds ratio was 732 (95% CI: 55–9806). The area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.98 (95% CI: 0.97–0.99). ConclusionsThe present meta-analysis revealed high sensitivity and specificity of F-18 FDG PET/CT for the detection of BMI in paediatric HL. Currently, the literature regarding the use of F-18 FDG PET/CT for the detection of BMI in paediatric HL is limited. Large multicentre studies are necessary to substantiate the diagnostic accuracy of F-18 FDG PET/CT in the detection of BMI in paediatric HL. Advances in knowledgeThrough a meta-analysis, this study provided a more reliable assessment of the diagnostic utility of F-18 FDG PET/CT, which exhibited good diagnostic accuracy in the detection of BMI in paediatric HL.