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European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
Published in: European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging 12/2017

Open Access 01-11-2017 | Review Article

Impact of partial-volume correction in oncological PET studies: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Authors: Matthijs C. F. Cysouw, Gerbrand M. Kramer, Linda J. Schoonmade, Ronald Boellaard, Henrica C. W. de Vet, Otto S. Hoekstra

Published in: European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging | Issue 12/2017

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Abstract

Purpose

Positron-emission tomography can be useful in oncology for diagnosis, (re)staging, determining prognosis, and response assessment. However, partial-volume effects hamper accurate quantification of lesions <2–3× the PET system’s spatial resolution, and the clinical impact of this is not evident. This systematic review provides an up-to-date overview of studies investigating the impact of partial-volume correction (PVC) in oncological PET studies.

Methods

We searched in PubMed and Embase databases according to the PRISMA statement, including studies from inception till May 9, 2016. Two reviewers independently screened all abstracts and eligible full-text articles and performed quality assessment according to QUADAS-2 and QUIPS criteria. For a set of similar diagnostic studies, we statistically pooled the results using bivariate meta-regression.

Results

Thirty-one studies were eligible for inclusion. Overall, study quality was good. For diagnosis and nodal staging, PVC yielded a strong trend of increased sensitivity at expense of specificity. Meta-analysis of six studies investigating diagnosis of pulmonary nodules (679 lesions) showed no significant change in diagnostic accuracy after PVC (p = 0.222). Prognostication was not improved for non-small cell lung cancer and esophageal cancer, whereas it did improve for head and neck cancer. Response assessment was not improved by PVC for (locally advanced) breast cancer or rectal cancer, and it worsened in metastatic colorectal cancer.

Conclusions

The accumulated evidence to date does not support routine application of PVC in standard clinical PET practice. Consensus on the preferred PVC methodology in oncological PET should be reached. Partial-volume-corrected data should be used as adjuncts to, but not yet replacement for, uncorrected data.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
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Metadata
Title
Impact of partial-volume correction in oncological PET studies: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors
Matthijs C. F. Cysouw
Gerbrand M. Kramer
Linda J. Schoonmade
Ronald Boellaard
Henrica C. W. de Vet
Otto S. Hoekstra
Publication date
01-11-2017
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging / Issue 12/2017
Print ISSN: 1619-7070
Electronic ISSN: 1619-7089
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-017-3775-4

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