Diagnostic value of chest computed tomography imaging for COVID-19 based on reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction: a meta-analysis

Background: The computed tomography (CT) diagnostic value of COVID-19 is controversial. We summarized the value of chest CT in the diagnosis of COVID-19 through a meta-analysis based on the reference standard. Methods: All Chinese and English studies related to the diagnostic value of CT for COVID-19 across multiple publication platforms, was searched for and collected. Studies quality evaluation and plotting the risk of bias were estimated. A heterogeneity test and meta-analysis, including plotting sensitivity (Sen), specificity (Spe) forest plots, pooled positive likelihood ratio (+LR), negative likelihood ratio (-LR), dignostic odds ratio (DOR) values and 95% confidence interval (CI), were estimated. If there was a threshold effect, summary receiver operating characteristic curves (SROC) was further plotted. Pooled area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) and 95% CI were also calculated. Results: Twenty diagnostic studies that represented a total of 9004 patients were included from 20 pieces of literatures after assessing all the aggregated studies. The reason for heterogeneity was caused by the threshold effect, so the AUROC = 0.91 (95% CI: 0.89-0.94) for chest CT of COVID-19. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, +LR, -LR from 20 studies were 0.91 (95% CI: 0.88-0.94), 0.71 (95% CI: 0.59-0.80), 3.1(95% CI: 2.2-4.4), 0.12 (95% CI: 0.09-0.17), separately. The I-2 was 85.6% (P = 0.001) by Q-test. Conclusions: The results of this study showed that CT diagnosis of COVID-19 was close to the reference standard. The diagnostic value of chest CT may be further enhanced if there is a unified COVID-19 diagnostic standard. However, please pay attention to rational use of CT.