Diagnostic accuracy of three-dimensional contrast-enhanced ultrasound for focal liver lesions: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) examination is a well-established technique for this purpose with several unique advantages. It is a real-time technology with high temporal resolution. With its unique ability to detect microvascular perfusion, it helps in better characterization of FLL.([1–4]) Three-dimensional (3D) CEUS with quantitative analysis is updated in recent years. 3D-CEUS is a new ultrasonic diagnostic technique, which can observe the nourishing vessels of lesions from multiple angles. Previous studies showed that 3D-CEUS can detect tumor nourishing vessels to differentiate benign from malignant focal liver lesions (FLLs). However, the results of these studies have been contradictory. Therefore, this meta-analysis tested the hypothesis that 3D-CEUS is accurate in distinguishing benign and malignant FLLs. METHODS: We will search PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Chinese biomedical databases from their inceptions to the April 30, 2021, without language restrictions. Two authors will independently carry out searching literature records, scanning titles and abstracts, full texts, collecting data, and assessing risk of bias. Review Manager 5.2 and Stata14.0 software will be used for data analysis. RESULTS: This systematic review will determine the accuracy of 3D-CEUS in the differential diagnosis between benign and malignant FLLs. CONCLUSION: Its findings will provide helpful evidence for the accuracy of 3D-CEUS in the differential diagnosis between benign and malignant FLLs. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: INPLASY202150096.