Diagnostic Performance of 18-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron-Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography (18F-FDG PET-CT) in the Detection of Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease Cyst Infections: A Meta-Analysis.

Diagnosing suspected renal or hepatic infections in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is difficult. Although 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography-computed tomography (F-FDG PET-CT) is recommended to aid in the diagnosis, there is no consensus about its diagnostic accuracy. We aimed to investigate its diagnostic performance. To further assess this, we performed a meta-analysis. A comprehensive literature search screening of PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane library databases through February 2024 was performed. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and C-reactive protein (CRP) were estimated using the random effects model. Heterogeneity between studies was estimated using Cochran Q and I2 statistics. A total of seven studies were included in the final analysis. The pooled sensitivity of F-FDG PET-CT in diagnosing kidney and hepatic cyst infection was 82.6% (95% CI: 73.8-88.9; I2 16.9%), specificity was 77.6% (95% CI: 66.7-85.7; I2 15.6%), PPV was 79.4% (95% CI: 62.4-89.9; I2 62.6%), and NPV was 81.3% (95% CI: 72.7-87.7; I2 0%). The mean CRP was 244.2 mg/L (95% CI: 209.1-279.1; I2 66%). The results showed that F-FDG PET-CT demonstrated excellent pooled diagnostic performance in diagnosing renal and hepatic cyst infections in ADPKD.