Gap finder

Search review questions

Each row is one question a systematic review asked: who, what, compared with what, and which outcome, with the effect it found and how certain that is. Words match anywhere in the field.

Limit to evidence status or GRADE (optional)

555 questions in 21 reviews · intervention: Caries detection/diagnosis · outcome domain: Diagnostic accuracy

current versions
No studies 19 · 3.4%Ungraded 489 · 88.1%Very low 17 · 3.1%Low 23 · 4.1%Moderate 7 · 1.3%High 0 · 0%

Ungraded means an effect was reported without a GRADE rating; it is not a gap. No studies means the review found nothing to answer the question. The six categories are a display order, not a score.

Intervention categories, outcome domains and clusters are a proposed key pending human validation. Clear all filters

QuestionEffectEvidenceStatus / GRADE
Quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF) vs Reference standard (histological examination, operative intervention, or other/visual examination)
Diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity, specificity, DOR) - not pooled · Permanent teeth (occlusal and smooth surfaces), with suspected caries lesions · Initial and more advanced caries lesions thresholds
Fluorescence-based methods for detecting caries lesions: systematic review, meta-analysis and sources of… (2013)
Only three articles using QLF were included (all permanent teeth); no meta-analysis could be performed. Individual studies reported high sensitivity or high specificity depending on threshold and surface.3 studiesUngraded
Fluorescence camera (FC; VistaProof) vs Reference standard (histological examination, operative intervention, or other/visual examination)
Diagnostic accuracy (pooled sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio, summary-ROC AUC) · Primary teeth, occlusal surfaces, with suspected caries lesions · Initial caries lesions threshold
Fluorescence-based methods for detecting caries lesions: systematic review, meta-analysis and sources of… (2013)
Pooled sensitivity, specificity, DOR, PLR, NLR and summary-ROC AUC reported qualitatively (Figure 7); accuracy similar among the three methods. Heterogeneity I2=0%. Numeric pooled values not available in the provided…NRUngraded
Fluorescence camera (FC; VistaProof) vs Reference standard (histological examination, operative intervention, or other/visual examination)
Diagnostic accuracy (pooled sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio, summary-ROC AUC) · Permanent teeth, occlusal surfaces, with suspected caries lesions · More advanced (dentine/cavitated) caries lesions threshold
Fluorescence-based methods for detecting caries lesions: systematic review, meta-analysis and sources of… (2013)
Pooled sensitivity, specificity, DOR, PLR, NLR and summary-ROC AUC reported qualitatively (Figure 6); pooled DOR for FC among the higher values, exceeding LFpen. Heterogeneity I2=17%. Numeric pooled values not…NRUngraded
Fluorescence camera (FC) vs Reference standard
More advanced caries lesion detection · Permanent teeth with occlusal surfaces · More advanced caries lesion threshold, FC, occlusal, permanent teeth
Fluorescence-based methods for detecting caries lesions: systematic review, meta-analysis and sources of… (2013)
Sensitivity 0.876 [0.826, 0.916]8 studiesUngraded
Fluorescence camera (FC) vs Reference standard
More advanced caries lesion detection · Primary teeth with occlusal surfaces · More advanced caries lesion threshold, FC, occlusal, primary teeth
Fluorescence-based methods for detecting caries lesions: systematic review, meta-analysis and sources of… (2013)
Sensitivity 0.850 [0.702, 0.943]2 studiesUngraded