Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron emission tomography/computerized tomography (FDG PET/CT) has become popular for diagnosing periprosthetic joint infections (PJI). However, the diagnostic accuracy for this technique has varied from report to report. This meta-analysis was performed to assess the accuracy of FDG PET/CT for PJI diagnosis.
We conducted a systematic search of online academic databases for all studies reporting the diagnostic accuracy of FDG PET/CT for PJI. Meta-analysis was performed using STATA software.
23 studies, containing data on 1,437 patients, met inclusion criteria. Pooled sensitivity and specificity of FDG PET/CT for diagnosing PJI were 85% (95% CI, 76%, 91%) and 86% (95% CI, 78%, 91%), respectively with an AUC of 0.92. LRP was 6.1 (95% CI, 3.8, 9.7) and LRN was 0.17 (0.11, 0.28), indicating that FDG PET/CT cannot be used for confirmation or exclusion of PJI. There was significant inter-study heterogeneity, but no significant publication bias was noted.
Our study found that FDG PET/CT has an important role as a diagnostic tool for PJI with high sensitivity and specificity. Further studies exploring its accuracy in different PJI locations remain necessary.