Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30584589›Full record

ArticleTransplantation direct2018

Value of Bone Scans in Work-up of Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma for Liver Transplant.

Numan Kutaiba, Zaid Ardalan, Kurvi Patwala, Eddie Lau, Mark Goodwin, Paul Gow

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Transplantation direct, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
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

2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
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

6 authors.

Numan KutaibaRadiology Department, Austin Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Zaid ArdalanLiver Transplant Unit, Austin Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Kurvi PatwalaLiver Transplant Unit, Austin Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Eddie LauRadiology Department, Austin Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Mark GoodwinRadiology Department, Austin Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Paul GowLiver Transplant Unit, Austin Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe purpose of this study was to review the value of bone scans (BS) in the assessment of bone metastases from early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients assessed or waiting for liver transplant (LTx).

methodsWe reviewed BS studies performed at our center for patients with early-stage HCC either being assessed for LTx, or on the waiting list for LTx, from January 2010 to May 2017. The BS findings were classified as positive, equivocal, or negative. Correlation with final outcome based on clinical and radiological follow-up was performed.

resultsThere were 360 BS performed in 186 patients during the study period with a mean age of 58.7 years (range, 34.9-70.4 years) and most were male patients (161/186 [86.6%]). None of the BSs resulted in delisting of patients from the LTx waiting list. Three BSs were reported as positive for metastases. All 3 were proven to be false positives on follow-up. Fourteen studies reported equivocal findings, none of which were confirmed to be metastases on follow-up. There was 1 false-negative BS: a bone metastasis was detected incidentally on magnetic resonance imaging and proven on biopsy.

conclusionsWe have demonstrated that the diagnostic yield of BS in early HCC patients who are candidates for LTx is minimal, challenging the current inclusion of BS in guidelines for staging these HCC patients.

Identifiers

PMID30584589
PMCPMC6283090

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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.