The trial of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev can stay in Massachusetts, a US appeal court has ruled.

A three-judge panel of the 1st US Circuit Court of Appeals said any high-profile case would receive significant media attention, but knowledge of such a case "does not equate to disqualifying prejudice".

"Distinguishing between the two is at the heart of the jury selection process," the panel wrote.

Three people were killed and more than 260 were injured when twin bombs exploded near the marathon finish line on April 15 2013. Tsarnaev's brother Tamerlan, 26, died days later after a gun battle with police and Dzhokhar, then 19, was found hiding in a boat parked in a garden.