Contrast Media & Molecular Imaging

Research Article

Diagnostic Value of Seven Different Imaging Modalities for Patients with Neuroblastic Tumors: A Network Meta-Analysis

Table 1

Characteristics of the enrolled studies.


Study	Study period	Country	Study design	Head to head	No. of patients (M : F)	Age (years)	Follow-up time (months)	Lesion	Nuclear imaging	Reference standard

Piccardo et al. [15]	2013.12–2017.1	Italy	Pro	Yes	18 (12 : 6)	2.8 ± 1.6 (1–6)	29.3 (19–53)	P; BM	¹²³I-MIBG SPECT/CT; ¹⁸F-FDOPA PET/CT	BMB pathology and CT and/or MRI follow-up
Shahrokhi et al. [14]	NR	Iran	Pro	Yes	15 (4 : 11)	2–52	NR	P	¹²³I-MIBG SPECT/CT; ⁶⁸Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT	BMB pathology and FDG-PET/CT follow-up
Yağcı-Küpeli et al. [16]	2014.7–2017.12	Turkey	Retro	NR	15 (8 : 7)	4 (1–14)	≥6	BM	¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT	BMB pathology and FDG-PET/CT follow-up
Ishiguchi et al. [18]	2012.6–2016.1	Japan	Retro	Yes	13 (7 : 6)	2.9 ± 2.0	NR	BM	¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT; ¹²³I-MIBG SPECT; whole-body DWIBS	Histopathology, ¹²³I-MIBG SPECT/CT, PET/CT, and BS
Zapata et al. [38]	2009.1–2014.10	America	Retro	NR	20 (8 : 12)	3.8 (0.5–18)	NR	BM	¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT	BMB pathology and ¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT
Kundu et al. [39]	NR	India	Pro	Yes	18	NR	NR	P	¹⁸F-FDG-PET; ¹³¹I-MIBG planar	Histopathology; CT
Dhull et al. [17]	2007.6–2012.12	India	Retro	NR	28	5.5 ± 5.6	≥6	P	¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT; ¹³¹I-MIBG SPECT	Histopathology and/or clinical/imaging follow-up
Choi et al. [19]	2003.1–2010.8	Korea	Retro	NR	30 (18 : 12)	2.7	NR	P	¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT	Histopathology; clinical and imaging (¹²³I-MIBG scans,^99mTc-MDP BS) follow-up
Gil et al. [20]	2005.11–2013.1	Korea	Retro	Yes	8 (3 : 5)	3.5 (2–5)	≥6	P; BM	¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT; ¹²³I-MIBG SPECT	Histopathology; clinical and imaging (¹²³I-MIBG scans, ^99mTc-MDP BS) follow-up
Piccardo et al. [22]	NR	Italy	Retro	Yes	19 (4 : 15)	1–41	≥4	P + M	¹²³I-MIBG SPECT; ¹⁸F-FDOPA PET/CT	CT, MRI, histopathology, and clinical follow-up
Lopci et al. [21]	NR	Italy	Retro	Yes	21 (4 : 7)	7.4 (0.3–38)	NR	P + M	¹⁸F-FDOPA PET/CT; CT or MRI	Histopathology; clinical and imaging (¹²³I-MIBG) follow-up
Papathanasiou et al. [22]	2004.11–2008.10	United Kingdom	Pro	Yes	28 (16 : 12)	7.5 (2–45)	NR	BM	¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT; ¹²³I-MIBG with/without SPECT/CT	Pathology and clinical follow-up
Melzer et al. [24]	2004.7–2010.7	Germany	Retro	Yes	19 (10 : 9)	5.9 (0.7–19.1)	≥6	P + M	¹⁸F-FDG-PET; ¹²³I-MIBG SPECT; CT or MRI	Histopathology; clinical and imaging (¹²³I-MIBG/FDG-PET/MR/CT) follow-up
Kroiss et al. [41]	NR	Austria	Retro	Yes	5 (0 : 5)	3–62	NR	P + M	⁶⁸Ga-DOTA-TOC; ¹²³I-MIBG SPECT	Histopathology; CT and MRI
Sharp et al. [40]	2003.1–2007.10	America	Retro	Yes	60 (37 : 23)	3.1	NR	P + M	¹²³I-MIBG planar + SPECT; ¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT	Urine catecholamines, histopathology, MIBG, and FDG-PET
Vik et al. [25]	NR	America	Pro	NR	100 (57 : 43)	4.7 ± 6.9 (0.08–58)	NR	P	¹²³I-MIBG planar with/without SPECT/CT	Pathology and clinical follow-up
Taggart et al. [42]	2001–2005	America	Retro	Yes	14	1–30	NR	BM	¹²³I-MIBG planar; ¹³¹I-MIBG planar; ¹⁸F-FDG-PET	Urine catecholamines, histopathology, MIBG, and ¹⁸F-FDG-PET
Kushner et al. [26]	NR	America	Retro	No	113 (70 : 43)	NR	18 (5–53)	P + M	¹³¹I-MIBG planar; ¹²³I-MIBG planar	Histopathology, CT, bone scan, bone marrow biopsy, and follow-up
Maghraby et al. [28]	NR	Saudi Arabia	Pro	NR	21 (13 : 8)	4.13 ± 4.06 (0.17–6)	NR	P	¹²³I-MIBG planar	Histopathology; clinical follow-up
Syed et al. [27]	1996–1999	Pakistan	Retro	NR	26 (18 : 8)	5 ± 3 (0.7–17)	12–36	P; BM	¹³¹I-MIBG planar	Histopathology; clinical and imaging (¹²³I-MIBG scans,^99mTc-MDP BS; CT; and US) follow-up
Hashimot et al. [30]	NR	Japan	Pro	NR	33 (20 : 13)	0.6 (0.5–0.83)	NR	P	¹²³I-MIBG planar	Histopathology; clinical and imaging (¹²³I- or¹³¹I-MIBG) follow-up
Pfluger et al. [29]	NR	Germany	Retro	Yes	28 (18 : 10)	3.2 (0.1–11)	≥6	P + M	¹²³I-MIBG SPECT; MRI	Histopathological findings or follow-up control examinations
Schilling et al. [31]	NR	Germany	Pro	NR	88 (48 : 40)	1.2 (0.1–24.2)	38 (median)	P	¹²³I-MIBG planar;¹¹¹In-pentetreotide planar	BMB pathology and CT and/or MRI follow-up
Perel et al. [32]	1985–1996	France	Retro	NR	30	NR	38 (7–120)	P	¹³¹I- and ¹²³I-MIBG planar	BMB pathology and FDG-PET/CT follow-up
Rufini et al. [43]	1991.5–1994.12	Italy	Retro	Yes	29 (19 : 10)	2.6 (0.17–12)	NR	P; BM; P + M	¹²³I-MIBG planar and SPECT	Histopathology, CT, MR, US, bone scan, and bone marrow biopsy
Hadj-Djilani et al. [34]	NR	Switzerland	Retro	NR	27 (19 : 8)	3.5 (0.03–24)	NR	P	¹²³I-MIBG planar	Histopathology
Abrahamsen et al. [33]	1984.9–1985.12	Denmark	Retro	NR	36 (20 : 16)	3 (0.1–14.8)	NR	P	¹³¹I- and ¹²³I-MIBG planar	BMB pathology and ¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT
Lastoria et al. [44]	NR	Italy	Retro	NR	28 (18 : 10)	2.4 ± 2.1	NR	P + M	¹³¹I-MIBG planar; CT	Histopathology; clinical and ^99mTc-MDP imaging (bone involvement)
Corbett et al [45]	NR	United Kingdom	Retro	No	19 (9 : 10)	4.8 (0.5–13.6)	NR	BM	¹²³I-MIBG planar; MRI	Histopathology (bone marrow aspirate) and imaging (¹²³I-MIBG, MRI, and ^99mTc-MDP)
Schmiegelow et al. [35]	NR	Finland	Pro	NR	96 (57 : 39)	2 (0.9–5.6)	NR	P; BM	¹³¹I- and ¹²³I-MIBG planar	Histopathology; clinical and imaging (¹²³I-MIBG scans, and ^99mTc-MDP BS) follow-up
Hoefnagel et al. [37]	NR	The Netherlands	Retro	NR	94 (50 : 44)	0–52	NR	P	¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT; ¹²³I-MIBG planar with/without SPECT/CT	Pathology and clinical follow-up
Feine et al. [36]	1985–1987	Germany	Retro	No	36	NR	NR	P; BM; P + M	¹³¹I-MIBG planar	Histopathology, clinical follow-up

Retro, retrospective; Pro, prospective; NR, not reported; P, primary tumor; BM, bone and bone marrow metastases; P + M, primary tumor and metastases; DWIBS, diffusion-weighted imaging with background body signal suppression; BS, bone scan; BMB, bone marrow biopsy; CECT, contrast-enhanced CT; US, ultrasound.