Liao et al. BMC Cancer 2012, 12:236 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2407/12/236 Author details 1Graduate Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan. 2Department of Otolaryngology, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. 3Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan. 4Center of Comparative Effectiveness Research, National Center of Excellence for Clinical Trial and Research, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. Received: 18 October 2011 Accepted: 29 May 2012 Published: 12 June 2012 References 1. van den Brekel MW, Castelijns JA, Stel HV, Golding RP, Meyer CJ, Snow GB: Modern imaging techniques and ultrasound-guided aspiration cytology for the assessment of neck node metastases: a prospective comparative study. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 1993, 250:11–17. 2. de Bondt RB, Nelemans PJ, Hofman PA, Casselman JW, Kremer B, van Engelshoven JM, Beets-Tan RG: Detection of lymph node metastases in head and neck cancer: a meta-analysis comparing US, USgFNAC, CT and MR imaging. Eur J Radiol 2007, 64:266–272. 3. Weiss MH, Harrison LB, Isaacs RS: Use of decision analysis in planning a management strategy for the stage N0 neck. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1994, 120:699–702. 4. Deeks JJ, Altman DG: Diagnostic tests 4: likelihood ratios. BMJ 2004, 329:168–169. 5. Kyzas PA, Evangelou E, Denaxa-Kyza D, Ioannidis JP: 18 F- fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography to evaluate cervical node metastases in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: a meta-analysis. J Natl Cancer Inst 2008, 100:712–720. 6. Whiting PF, Weswood ME, Rutjes AW, Reitsma JB, Bossuyt PN, Kleijnen J: Evaluation of QUADAS, a tool for the quality assessment of diagnostic accuracy studies. BMC Med Res Methodol 2006, 6:9. 7. Reitsma JB, Glas AS, Rutjes AW, Scholten RJ, Bossuyt PM, Zwinderman AH: Bivariate analysis of sensitivity and specificity produces informative summary measures in diagnostic reviews. J Clin Epidemiol 2005, 58:982–990. 8. Okura M, Aikawa T, Sawai NY, Iida S, Kogo M: Decision analysis and treatment threshold in a management for the N0 neck of the oral cavity carcinoma. Oral Oncol 2009, 45:908–911. 9. Pillsbury HC 3rd, Clark M: A rationale for therapy of the N0 neck. Laryngoscope 1997, 107:1294–1315. 10. Evans RM: In Lymph node, In Practical head & neck ultrasound. Edited by Ahuja AT. London: Greenwich Medical Media; 2000:65–83. 11. Ambrosch P, Kron M, Pradier O, Steiner W: Efficacy of selective neck dissection: a review of 503 cases of elective and therapeutic treatment of the neck in squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2001, 124:180–187. 12. Sefik Hosal A, Carrau RL, Johnson JT, Myers EN: Selective Neck Dissection in the Management of the Clinically Node-Negative Neck. Laryngoscope 2000, 110:2037–2040. 13. Takes RP, Righi P, Meeuwis CA, Manni JJ, Knegt P, Marres HA, Spoelstra HA, de Boer MF, van der Mey AG, Bruaset I, et al: The value of ultrasound with ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy compared to computed tomography in the detection of regional metastases in the clinically negative neck. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 1998, 40:1027–1032. 14. Righi PD, Kopecky KK, Caldemeyer KS, Ball VA, Weisberger EC, Radpour S: Comparison of ultrasound-fine needle aspiration and computed tomography in patients undergoing elective neck dissection. Head Neck 1997, 19:604–610. 15. Hodder SC, Evans RM, Patton DW, Silvester KC: Ultrasound and fine needle aspiration cytology in the staging of neck lymph nodes in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2000, 38:430–436. doi:10.1186/1471-2407-12-236 Cite this article as: Liao et al.: Detection of cervical lymph node metastasis in head and neck cancer patients with clinically N0 neck—a meta-analysis comparing different imaging modalities. BMC Cancer 2012 12:236. Page 7 of 7 Submit your next manuscript to BioMed Central and take full advantage of: • Convenient online submission • Thorough peer review • No space constraints or color ﬁgure charges • Immediate publication on acceptance • Inclusion in PubMed, CAS, Scopus and Google Scholar • Research which is freely available for redistribution Submit your manuscript at www.biomedcentral.com/submit