The diagnostic performance of gadoxetic acid disodium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging and contrast-enhanced ultrasound in detecting hepatocellular carcinoma: A meta-analysis

The purpose of this study was to identify and compare the diagnostic performance of gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethyltriethylenetriacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA) enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Two researchers searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases from the inception of each database to 10 February 2020, to find comparative studies of Gd-EOB-DTPA-MRI and CEUS in detection of HCC. The study included eight studies (374 patients). MRI is superior to CEUS in diagnostic sensitivity of HCC, P = .03. The diagnostic sensitivity of MRI in lesions with a diameter of less than 30 mm was significantly higher than that of CEUS, P = .04. MRI and CEUS had no significant difference in diagnostic specificity of HCC, P = .95. Summary Receiver Operating Characteristics (SROC) of MRI showed a larger than that of CEUS, but with P > .05. Gd-EOB-DTPA-MRI showed higher sensitivity than CEUS for hepatocellular carcinoma lesions, especially for lesions of less than 30 mm across.