Accuracy of narrow band imaging for detecting the malignant transformation of oral potentially malignant disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis

ObjectiveOral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) are a spectrum of diseases that harbor the potential of malignant transformation and developing into oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Narrow band imaging (NBI) has been clinically utilized for the adjuvant diagnosis of OPMD and OSCC. This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of NBI for malignant transformations of OPMD by applying the intraepithelial papillary capillary loop (IPCL) classification approach.MethodsStudies reporting the diagnostic validity of NBI in the detection of OPMD/OSCC were selected. Four databases were searched and 11 articles were included in the meta-analysis. We performed four subgroup analyses by defining IPCL I/II as negative diagnostic results and no/mild dysplasia as negative pathological outcome. Pooled data were analyzed using random-effects models. Meta-regression analysis was performed to explore heterogeneity.ResultsAfter pooled analysis of the four subgroups, we found that subgroup 1, defining IPCL II and above as a clinically positive result, demonstrated the most optimal overall diagnostic accuracy for the malignant transformation of OPMDs, with a sensitivity and specificity of NBI of 0.87 (95% confidence interval (CI) [0.67, 0.96], p