Diagnostic Accuracy of Transthoracic Echocardiography and Transesophageal Echocardiography for Ruptured Chordae Tendineae: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Background Echocardiography is significant for the diagnosis of ruptured chordae tendineae (RCT) for which transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is always better than transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), but the diagnostic accuracy of TTE still remains confusing. Methods A meta-analysis of included papers was performed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of TTE and TEE, with surgical findings of RCT as the gold standard of patients with suspected RCT. Results The literature search yielded 862 papers, 6 met the inclusion criteria, included 505 patients, for detecting RCT, the sensitivity and specificity of TTE were 48% (95% CI: 35–62%) and 98% (95% CI: 89–100%), and those of TEE were 99% (95% CI: 64–100%) and 94% (95% CI: 87–98%), respectively. The summary + LR, -LR of TTE were 22.40 (95%CI: 4.89–102.62), 0.53(95%CI:0. 41–0.68), respectively. The summary + LR, -LR of TEE were 17.62(95%CI: 7.16–43.39), 0.02(95%CI:0. 00-0.57), respectively. For TTE, the area under SROC was 84% (95%CI:92%-96%),and that of TEE is 98%. The pooled + LR and -LR were calculated by setting the prior probabilities of 20% in both TTE and TEE. Conclusions TTE is not highly sensitive for the detection of RCT but is highly specific, so there is a potential of missing diagnosis, and subsequent TEE is almost required in highly suspected patients.