Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27736927›Full record

ArticlePloS one2016

Can Parameters Other than Minimal Axial Diameter in MRI and PET/CT Further Improve Diagnostic Accuracy for Equivocal Retropharyngeal Lymph Nodes in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma?

Yu-Wen Wang, Chin-Shun Wu, Guo-Yi Zhang, Chih-Han Chang, Kuo-Sheng Cheng, Wei-Jen Yao, Yu-Kang Chang, Tsair-Wei Chien, Li-Ching Lin, Keng-Ren Lin

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact, top 85% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 6 institutions in 2 countries.

Yu-Wen WangDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4588-2591
Chin-Shun WuDivision of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Medical Imaging, Chi Mei Medical Center, Liouying, Tainan, Taiwan.
Guo-Yi ZhangCancer Center, Foshan Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Foshan, People's Republic of China.
Chih-Han ChangDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Kuo-Sheng ChengDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Wei-Jen YaoDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan.
Yu-Kang ChangDepartment of Medical Imaging, Chi Mei Medical Center, Liouying, Tainan, Taiwan.
Tsair-Wei ChienDepartment of Medical research, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan.
Li-Ching LinDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Chi-Mei Foundation Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan.
Keng-Ren LinDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Chi Mei Medical Center · TWNational Cheng Kung University · TWChung Hwa University of Medical Technology · TWMin-Hwei College of Health Care Management · TWNational Cheng Kung University Hospital · TWSun Yat-sen University · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeMinimal axial diameter (MIAD) in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was recognized as the most useful parameter in diagnosing lateral retropharyngeal lymph (LRPL) nodes in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). This study aims to explore the additional nodal parameters in MRI and positron emission tomography-computed tomography for increasing the prediction accuracy. MATERIALS AND

methodsA total of 663 LRPL nodes were retrospectively collected from 335 patients with NPC. The LRPL nodes ascertained on follow-up MRI were considered positive for metastases. First, the optimal cutoff value of each parameter was derived for each parameter. In addition, neural network (NN) nodal evaluation was tested for all combinations of three parameters, namely MIAD, maximal axial diameter (MAAD), and maximal coronal diameter (MACD). The optimal approach was determined through brute force attack, and the results of two methods were compared using a bootstrap sampling method. Second, the mean standard uptake value (NSUVmean) was added as the fourth parameter and tested in the same manner for 410 nodes in 219 patients.

resultsIn first and second analysis, the accuracy rate (percentage) for the MIAD was 89.0% (590/663) and 89.0% (365/410), with the optimal cutoff values being 6.1 mm and 6.0 mm, respectively. With the combination of all three and four parameters, the accuracy rate of the NN was 89% (288/332) and 88.8% (182/205), respectively. In prediction, the optimal combinations of the three and four parameters resulted in correct identification of three (accuracy: 593/663, 89.4%) and six additional nodes (371/410, 90.5%), representing 4% (3/73) and 13.3% (6/45) decreases in incorrect prediction, respectively.

conclusionNPC LRPL nodes with an MIAD ≥ 6.1 mm are positive. Among nodes with an MIAD < 6.1 mm, if the NSUVmean ≥ 2.6 or MACD ≥ 25 mm and MAAD ≥ 8 mm, the nodes are positive; otherwise, they are negative.

Indexed as

CarcinomaFemaleHumansLymphatic MetastasisLymph NodesMagnetic Resonance ImagingMaleMiddle AgedNasopharyngeal CarcinomaNasopharyngeal NeoplasmsNasopharynxNeoplasm StagingPositron Emission Tomography Computed TomographyRetrospective Studies

Identifiers

PMID27736927
PMCPMC5063369
OpenAlexW2530967004

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.