We searched MEDLINE, OVID, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library for studies evaluating diagnosis validity of 18FDG-PET-CT, 18FDG-PET, MRI and BS between January 1990 and August 2010. Meta-analysis methods were used to pool sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odd ratios (DORs) and to construct a summary receiver-operating characteristic curve (SROC).
A total of 17 articles (9 18FDG-PET-CT studies, 9 18FDG-PET studies, 6 MRI studies and 16 BS studies) that included 2940 patients who fulfilled all of the inclusion criteria were considered for inclusion in the analysis. The pooled sensitivity for the detection of bone metastasis in lung cancer using 18FDG-PET-CT, 18FDG-PET, MRI and BS were 0.92 (95%CI, 0.88-0.95), 0.87 (95%CI, 0.81-0.92), 0.77 (95%CI, 0.65-0.87) and 0.86 (95%CI, 0.82-0.89), respectively. The pooled specificity for the detection of bone metastasis from lung cancer using 18FDG-PET-CT, 18FDG-PET, MRI and BS were 0.98 (95%CI, 0.97-0.98), 0.94 (95%CI, 0.92-0.96), 0.92 (95%CI, 0.88-0.95), 0.88 (95%CI, 0.86-0.89), respectively. The pooled DORs estimates for 18FDG-PET-CT 449.17 were significantly higher than for 18FDG-PET (118.25, P < 0.001), MRI (38.27, P < 0.001) and BS (63.37, P < 0.001). The pooled sensitivity of BS was not correlated with the prevalence of bone metastasis.
The results showed that both 18FDG-PET-CT and 18FDG-PET were better imaging methods for diagnosing bone metastasis from lung cancer than MRI and BS. 18FDG-PET-CT has higher diagnostic value (sensitivity, specificity and DORs) for diagnosing bone metastasis from lung cancer than any other imaging methods.