Article type
Year
Abstract
Background: Systematic reviews (SRs) of CT or MRI diagnostic test accuracy have become increasingly popular in China and have been published in large numbers. This paper provides the first examination of epidemiology characteristics of these SRs as well as compliance with PRISMA guideline.
Objectives: To examine epidemiology and reporting characteristics as well as methodological quality of SRs of CT or MRI diagnostic test accuracy published in Chinese journals.
Methods: Four Chinese databases were searched (CBM, CNKI, VIP, Wanfang Database), from inception through March 2012. Data were extracted into Excel spreadsheets. The PRISMA checklist was used to assess reporting characteristics and methodological quality.
Results: A total of 53 SRs were identified, none of the reviews had been updated. The diseases about abdomen, chest, head were occupied 77.6%. Less than one-third (32.1%) were written by graduate students and 15.1% were reported in specialty journals. Information retrieval was not comprehensive in half (49.1%) of the reviews. About 17.0% did not reported information about quality assessment, while less than half (45.3%) reported assessing for publication bias. About 77.4% reviews used the term ‘systematic review’ or ‘meta analysis’ in the title. 6 studies were doctor or master’s degree theses. The first authors came from Xi ’an Jiaotong university and the university of Chinese medical of 14 studies. Thirty-eight studies (71.7%) were written by medicial imaging professionals .
Conclusions: While many SRs of CT or MRI diagnostic test accuracy have been published in Chinese journals, the quality of these reviews is troubling. It is urgently needed in order to increase the value of these studies. Then, in addition to the abdomen, chest, head diseases, we should pay more attention to other parts of the diseases.
Objectives: To examine epidemiology and reporting characteristics as well as methodological quality of SRs of CT or MRI diagnostic test accuracy published in Chinese journals.
Methods: Four Chinese databases were searched (CBM, CNKI, VIP, Wanfang Database), from inception through March 2012. Data were extracted into Excel spreadsheets. The PRISMA checklist was used to assess reporting characteristics and methodological quality.
Results: A total of 53 SRs were identified, none of the reviews had been updated. The diseases about abdomen, chest, head were occupied 77.6%. Less than one-third (32.1%) were written by graduate students and 15.1% were reported in specialty journals. Information retrieval was not comprehensive in half (49.1%) of the reviews. About 17.0% did not reported information about quality assessment, while less than half (45.3%) reported assessing for publication bias. About 77.4% reviews used the term ‘systematic review’ or ‘meta analysis’ in the title. 6 studies were doctor or master’s degree theses. The first authors came from Xi ’an Jiaotong university and the university of Chinese medical of 14 studies. Thirty-eight studies (71.7%) were written by medicial imaging professionals .
Conclusions: While many SRs of CT or MRI diagnostic test accuracy have been published in Chinese journals, the quality of these reviews is troubling. It is urgently needed in order to increase the value of these studies. Then, in addition to the abdomen, chest, head diseases, we should pay more attention to other parts of the diseases.