Agreement between MRI and pathologic breast tumor size after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and comparison with alternative tests: individual patient data meta-analysis

Table 2 Pooled absolute differences (cm) (fixed effect unless noted) and limits of agreement for studies and patients comparing the respective tests

	N (studies)	N (patients)	Pooled MD (cm) (95 % CI)	I²	LOA (cm)
All studies and patients
MRI vs pathology	8	243	0.0 (−0.1, 0.2)	0 %	+/−3.8
Studies of MRI vs US
MRI vs pathology	5	123	0.1 (−0.2, 0.3)	0 %	+/− 2.8
US vs pathology^a	5	123	−0.3 (−0.6, 0.1)	69 %	+/− 2.6
MRI and US (mean) vs pathology	5	123	−0.1 (−0.3, 0.1)	16 %	+/− 2.3
MRI vs US^a	5	123	0.3 (−0.1, 0.7)	81 %	NA
MRI vs pathology (patients without US)^b	3	14	−1.5 (−3.1, 0.1)	NA	+/− 6.0
Studies of MRI vs mammography
MRI vs pathology	4	78	0.1 (−0.1, 0.3)	0 %	+/− 4.1
Mammography vs pathology	4	78	0.0 (−0.3, 0.4)	39 %	+/− 5.0
MRI and mammography (mean) vs pathology	4	78	0.1 (−0.1, 0.4)	21 %	+/− 4.2
MRI vs mammography	4	78	0.1 (−0.2, 0.4)	0 %	NA
MRI vs pathology (patients without mammography)^b	3	25	0.0 (−0.7, 0.7)	NA	+/− 3.5
Studies of MRI vs clinical examination
MRI vs pathology	3	107	0.0 (−0.2, 0.3)	0 %	+/− 4.2
Clinical examination vs pathology^a	3	107	−0.8 (−1.5, −0.1)*	57 %	+/− 5.1
MRI and clinical examination (mean) vs pathology	3	107	−0.2 (−0.5, 0.1)	9 %	+/− 4.1
MRI vs clinical examination^a	3	107	0.9 (0.2, 1.5)*	56 %	NA
MRI vs pathology (patients without clinical examination)^b	2	3	NA ^c	NA ^c	NA ^c

CI confidence interval, LOA limits of agreement, MD mean difference, MRI magnetic resonance imaging, NA not applicable, US ultrasound
*p < 0.01
^aRandom effects
^bPatients without comparator test combined as a single data set. Pooled meta-analysis not undertaken
^cNot calculated due to small number of patients