Table 1.
Characteristics of the twenty studies selected for the meta-analysis.
| Authors | Year | Country | Tracer | Tracer Activity (MBq) | Tracer Injections | Time Interval (Tracer Injection–SPECT/CT) in min | Anatomical Region | BMI (Mean ± SD) | Breslow Thickness in mm | Number of Patients | M | F | Age (Mean ± SD/Median; Range) in Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benke | 2018 | Poland | 99mTc-Nanocoll | 5–20 | 2–6 | 60–180 | Trunk | NR | median: 2.0 ± 3.13 | 255 | 160 | 95 | median: 61 (17–88) |
| Bennie | 2015 | South Africa | 99mTc-Nanocoll. 99mTc-Sentiscint | NR | 4 | 60 | Trunk, upper limb, lower limb | 28.5 (n = 23) | NR | 42 | 22 | 20 | mean: M: 50. F:52 |
| Borbón-Arce | 2014 | Spain | 99mTc-Nanocoll | Median: 85 (66–158) | 3–4 | 120 | Head and neck | NR | mean: 2.7 (1.0–6.0); median: 2.0 | 16 | 9 | 7 | mean: 58 (41–77) |
| Brouwer | 2012 | The Netherlands | ICG–99mTc-nanocolloid | 70 | 4 | 120 | Head and neck | NR | 2.7 | 11 | 5 | 6 | mean: 54 (32–75) |
| Even-Sapir | 2003 | Israel | 99mTc-rhenium colloid | 74 | 4 | NR | Trunk, head and neck, upper limb, lower limb, penis | NR | NR | 15 * | 12 | 3 | mean: 57.6 (24–81) |
| Fairbairn | 2013 | Scotland | 99mTc-Nanocoll | 20 or 40 | 2 or 4 | 60 | Trunk, head and neck, upper limb, lower limb | NR | mean: 2.03 ± 2.26 (0.51–12); median: 1.4 | 32 | 12 | 20 | 55 ± 13.66 (17–77) |
| Jimenez-Heffernan | 2015 | Spain | 99mTc-Nanocoll | Mean: 50 ± 27.4 | 1–6 | NR | All regions | NR | 0.75–4 | 262 | 117 | 145 | 53.9 ± 15.2 |
| Klode # | 2011 | Germany | 99mTc-Nanocoll | 16 or 80 | 4 | 120 | Head and neck | NR | 2.26 (1–7.5); median: 1.7 | 34 | NR | NR | NR |
| Kraft # | 2012 | Czech Republic | 99mTc-Nanocis. 99mTc-Nanocoll, 99mTc-SentiScint, 99mTc-NanoAlbumon | 100 | 4 | NR | Trunk, head and neck, upper limb, lower limb | 29.4 ± 12.5 | NR | 113 | 59 | 54 | mean: 57.6 (11–87) |
| Kraft | 2012 | Czech Republic | 99mTc-Nanocis, 99mTc-Nanocoll, 99mTc-SentiScint, 99mTc-NanoAlbumon. | 100 | 4 | NR | All regions | 28.4 ± 5.1 | NR | 161 | 87 | 74 | 57.1 ± 14.8 |
| Lopez-Rodriguez | 2016 | Spain | 99mTc-Nanocoll | 74 | At least 4 | NR | Head and neck | NR | mean: 2.96 (1–6) | 22 | 13 | 9 | mean: 55 (24–83) |
| Martinez Castillo | 2014 | Spain | 99mTc-Nanocoll | 74 | 4 | NR | Trunk, head and neck, upper limb, lower limb | NR | NR | 63 | 32 | 31 | mean: 55 (25–88) |
| Mucientes Rasilla | 2009 | Spain | 99mTc-nanocolloids (not specificied) | 74 | 4 | NR | Trunk, head and neck, upper limb, lower limb | NR | mean: 1.75 ± 1.15 (0.47–4.45) | 18 | 8 | 10 | 57.1 ± 20.1 (14–83) |
| Nielsen | 2011 | Denmark | 99mTc-antimony sulphide colloid | 40–80 | 1–2 | NR | Trunk, head and neck, upper limb, lower limb | NR | 1–4 | 307 | 177 | 130 | 60 ± 16.9 |
| Tew | 2017 | Australia | 99mTc-antimony sulphide colloid | 8 or 26 MBq per injection | up to 4 | NR | Trunk, head and neck, upper limb, lower limb | NR | NR | 86 | 53 | 33 | mean: 58.8 (22–84) |
| Trinh # | 2018 | USA | 99mTc-filtered sulphur colloid | Mean: 37 ± 10% | NR | NR | Head and neck | NR | NR | 118 | 87 | 31 | 58.9 ± 16.7; median: 61 (16–91 |
| van der Ploeg | 2009 | The Netherlands | 99mTc-Nanocoll | 80 | 4 | 120 | Trunk, head and neck, upper limb, lower limb | NR | NR | 85 | NR | NR | mean: 54 |
| Veenstra | 2012 | The Netherlands | 99mTc-Nanocoll | 69.8 (mean) | NR | 120 | Trunk, head and neck, upper limb, lower limb | NR | at least 1; or less if Clark level = 4 | 35 | 14 | 21 | mean: 60 |
| Vermeeren | 2011 | The Netherlands | 99mTc-Nanocoll | 71 (mean) | 4 | 120 | Head and neck | NR | mean: 2.9 (0.8–7.8); median: 2.2 | 38 | 30 | 8 | mean: 53 (24–86) |
| Zender | 2014 | USA | 99mTc-microfiltered sulfur colloid | 18–37 | NR | NR | Head and neck | NR | mean: 2.68 (1.13–7.0) | 14 | 9 | 5 | mean: 65.43 (31–89) |
MBq = Mega-Becquerel; BMI = body mass index; SD = standard deviation; M = male; F = female; NR = not reported; ICG = indocyanine green; # not included in the analysis of primary outcome of the meta-analysis (values of DR not available; DR = detection rate). * extracted from a mixed study population of patients with malignant melanoma and patients with squamous cell carcinoma.