Subtraction CT angiography for the detection of intracranial aneurysms: A meta-analysis

The aim of this meta-analysis was to investigate the accuracy of subtraction computed tomography angiography (CTA) for diagnosing intracranial aneurysms. A systematic literature search up to January 1, 2013 was performed in PubMed. Two independent reviewers selected 8 studies that compared subtraction CTA with digital subtraction angiography. Data from the studies were used to construct a 2×2 contingency table on a per-patient basis in ≥5 diseased and 5 non-diseased patients, with additional data on a per-aneurysm basis. Overall, subtraction CTA had a pooled sensitivity of 99% [95% confidence interval (CI), 95-100%] and specificity of 94% (95% CI, 86-97%) for detecting and ruling out cerebral aneurysms, respectively, on a per-patient basis. On a per-aneurysm basis, the pooled sensitivity was 96% (95% CI, 90-99%), and the specificity was 91% (95% CI, 85-95%). In conclusion, subtraction CTA is a highly sensitive, specific and non-invasive method for the diagnosis and evaluation of intracranial aneurysms.