Diagnostic Value of Transthoracic Echocardiography for Patent Foramen Ovale: A Meta-analysis

As a non-invasive and convenient modality, transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) has been widely recommended for the diagnosis of patent foramen ovale (PFO). In this study our aim was to systematically review the diagnostic accuracy of TTE in detection of PFO. We conducted comprehensive searches in PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library to the end of September 1, 2012. Sixteen studies comprising 1831 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The quality of reported studies was modest. The summary sensitivity and specificity of TTE in diagnosis of PFO were 88% (95% confidence interval [CI], 79–94) and 97% (95% CI, 92–99), respectively. The positive likelihood ratio was 27.1 (95% CI, 11.2–65.1), and the negative likelihood ratio was 0.12 (95% CI, 0.07–0.22). The summary diagnostic odds ratio was 221 (95% CI, 95–518). Subgroup analyses suggested that age and initial disease may affect the accuracy of TTE in detection of PFO. The meta-analysis suggested that TTE is a test with high sensitivity and specificity in detection of PFO, but it may not be appropriate for screening for PFO in all patients, especially patients with a small right-left shunt.