Positron emission tomography modalities prevent futile radical resection of pancreatic cancer: A meta-analysis

Numerous distant metastases were not detected preoperatively. Positron emission tomography (PET) has been used for oncology diagnosis recently. However, it remains controversial whether PET modality is a more efficient way in detecting unresectable features for radical resection of pancreatic cancer (PC). This meta-analysis aims to validate the efficiency of PET modalities (including PET and PET/CT) in preoperative assessment of PC, and compare them with computed tomography (CT). PubMed, EMBASE, Science Citation Index and The Cochrane Library were searched to identify relevant studies. Both PET modality and CT had been performed for all the included patients. A meta-analysis was performed to compare the ability of PET modalities in detecting occult distant metastases and regional lymph nodes invasion with that of CT. 17 clinical studies that recruited 1343 patients were included. This meta-analysis indicated that PET modalities were more efficient in detecting true positive distant metastases compared with CT (OR = 1.52, 95%CI: 1.23–1.88). In subgroup analysis, when compared with CT alone, PET/CT also showed greater utility in detecting distant metastases (OR = 1.66, 95%CI: 1.31–2.08). There was no definite difference in detecting regional lymph nodes invasion between PET modalities and CT (OR = 0.97, 95%CI: 0.63–1.47). Compared with CT, PET/CT provides extensive possibility to avoid futile radical resection by detecting occult metastases of PC preoperatively. Surgeons, especially in developing countries, should take PET modalities as a routine preoperative assessment before making operative plan for PC patients. •First attempt to summarize recent articles about the utility of PET modalities in preventing futile resection of PC.•Subgroup analysis according to different PET modality.