This meta-analysis looked at how well the VELscope device, a tool for screening, detects oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD). The review combined data from 24 studies of patients with OPMD from prospective and cross-sectional studies. The main finding was that VELscope had a sensitivity of 84% and a specificity of 45%, meaning it is good at identifying true cases but often gives false positives.
The analysis also found a positive likelihood ratio of 1.55 and an area under the curve of 0.78, which suggest moderate diagnostic accuracy. However, the studies had high heterogeneity, and the abstract did not specify the reference standard used for diagnosis, which limits how certain we can be about the pooled results.
Safety concerns were not reported in the included studies. The main reason to be careful is the low specificity, which means many people without OPMD might be told they have it. This could lead to unnecessary worry or further testing.
Readers should understand that this meta-analysis shows VELscope may help in screening, especially in large or resource-limited settings, but it is not a standalone tool for definitive diagnosis. More research is needed to confirm these findings and understand how the device affects patient outcomes.