The effect of ultrasonic inspection and mammography in the screening and early diagnosis of breast cancer: a Meta-analysis

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic efficiency of ultrasonic inspection,mammography and a combined diagnosis using the two methods together and to discuss the diagnostic performance of ultrasonography in the screening and early detection of breast cancer.Methods The Meta-analysis was used to analyze the results which the subjects were all diagnosed using ultrasonography,mammography and a combined diagnosis using the two methods together.According to the different diagnostic strategies,three groups were defined,and calculated the diagnostic odds ratios(DOR) of different diagnostic methods,then plotted three SROCs.Results Eight studies were included in the present analysis.The incorporate DOR value of ultrasonography was 19.10,and the 95%CI was 12.62～28.90;the incorporate DOR value of mammography was 33.07,and the 95%CI was 16.47～66.40;the incorporate DOR value of the combined diagnosis was 78.13,and the 95%CI was 27.68～220.59;all the results were statistically significant.Analysis of the SROC showed that there was no significant difference between MAM and US,and that the combined diagnosis was the most efficient and can improve sensitivity significantly.Conclusions It suggested that ultrasonography was an important adjunct to mammography in early detection of breast cancer.Ultrasonography represented the best method for screening breast cancer regularly in China.