LITERATURE HIGHLIGHTS

Abstract

American Journal of Roentgenology. 2017;208: W198-W207. 10.2214/AJR.16.17274

June 2017, Volume 208, Number 6

Comparison of Low- and Standard-Dose CT for the Diagnosis of Acute Appendicitis: A Meta-Analysis

Seong Jong Yun, Chang-Woo Ryu, Na Young Choi, Hyun Cheol Kim, Ji Young Oh and Dal Mo Yang

ABSTRACT :

OBJECTIVE. A meta-analysis was performed to compare low-dose CT and standard-dose CT in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis with an emphasis on diagnostic value.

MATERIALS AND METHODS. A systematic literature search for articles published through June 2016 was performed to identify studies that compared low-dose CT with standard-dose CT for the evaluation of patients suspected of having acute appendicitis. Summary estimates of sensitivity and specificity with 95% CIs were calculated using a bivariate random-effects model. Meta-regression was used to perform statistical comparisons of low-dose CT and standard-dose CT.

RESULTS. Of 154 studies, nine studies investigating a total of 2957 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of low-dose CT were 96.25% (95% CI, 91.88–98.31%) and 93.22% (95% CI, 88.75–96.00%), respectively. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of standard-dose CT were 96.40% (95% CI, 93.55–98.02%) and 92.17% (95% CI, 88.24–94.86%), respectively. In a joint model estimation of meta-regression, low and standard-dose CT did not show a statistically significant difference (p = 0.71). Both low and standard-dose CT seem to be characterized by high positive and negative predictive values across a broad spectrum of pretest probabilities for acute appendicitis.

CONCLUSION. Low-dose CT is highly effective for the diagnosis of suspected appendicitis and can be considered a valid alternative first-line imaging test that reduces the potential risk of exposure to ionizing radiation.

Keywords: appendicitis, low-dose CT, meta-analysis, sensitivity, specificity