scholarly journals MRI-based radiomic feature analysis of end-stage liver disease for severity stratification

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Nitsch ◽  
Jordan Sack ◽  
Michael W. Halle ◽  
Jan H. Moltz ◽  
April Wall ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Disease Severity ◽  
Prediction Models ◽  
Blood Parameters ◽  
Meld Score ◽  
Poor Correlation ◽  
Discrimination Ability ◽  
Random Forest Classification ◽  
Forest Classification ◽  
Academic Center ◽  
End Stage

Abstract Purpose We aimed to develop a predictive model of disease severity for cirrhosis using MRI-derived radiomic features of the liver and spleen and compared it to the existing disease severity metrics of MELD score and clinical decompensation. The MELD score is compiled solely by blood parameters, and so far, it was not investigated if extracted image-based features have the potential to reflect severity to potentially complement the calculated score. Methods This was a retrospective study of eligible patients with cirrhosis ($$n=90$$ n = 90 ) who underwent a contrast-enhanced MR screening protocol for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) screening at a tertiary academic center from 2015 to 2018. Radiomic feature analyses were used to train four prediction models for assessing the patient’s condition at time of scan: MELD score, MELD score $$\ge $$ ≥ 9 (median score of the cohort), MELD score $$\ge $$ ≥ 15 (the inflection between the risk and benefit of transplant), and clinical decompensation. Liver and spleen segmentations were used for feature extraction, followed by cross-validated random forest classification. Results Radiomic features of the liver and spleen were most predictive of clinical decompensation (AUC 0.84), which the MELD score could predict with an AUC of 0.78. Using liver or spleen features alone had slightly lower discrimination ability (AUC of 0.82 for liver and AUC of 0.78 for spleen features only), although this was not statistically significant on our cohort. When radiomic prediction models were trained to predict continuous MELD scores, there was poor correlation. When stratifying risk by splitting our cohort at the median MELD 9 or at MELD 15, our models achieved AUCs of 0.78 or 0.66, respectively. Conclusions We demonstrated that MRI-based radiomic features of the liver and spleen have the potential to predict the severity of liver cirrhosis, using decompensation or MELD status as imperfect surrogate measures for disease severity.

scholarly journals Factors Associated With Detection and Survival of T1 Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the United States: National Cancer Database Analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 1210-1220
Author(s):  
Ju Dong Yang ◽  
Michael Luu ◽  
Amit G. Singal ◽  
Mazen Noureddin ◽  
Alexander Kuo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
Meld Score ◽  
Academic Institution ◽  
National Cancer Database ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Academic Center ◽  
Pertinent Data ◽  
T1 Stage ◽  
End Stage

Background: It remains unknown to what extent hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) are detected very early (T1 stage; ie, unifocal <2 cm) in the United States. The aim of this study was to investigate the trends and factors associated with very early detection of HCC and resultant outcomes. Methods: Patients with HCC diagnosed from 2004 through 2014 were identified from the National Cancer Database. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with T1 HCC detection, and Cox proportional hazard analyses identified factors associated with overall survival among patients with T1 HCC. Results: Of 110,182 eligible patients, the proportion with T1 HCC increased from 2.6% in 2004 to 6.8% in 2014 (P<.01). The strongest correlate of T1 HCC detection was receipt of care at an academic institution (odds ratio, 3.51; 95% CI, 2.31–5.34). Older age, lack of insurance, high Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score, high alpha-fetoprotein, increased Charlson-Deyo comorbidity score, and nonsurgical treatment were associated with increased mortality, and care at an academic center (hazard ratio [HR], 0.27; 95% CI, 0.15–0.48) was associated with reduced mortality in patients with T1 HCC. Liver transplantation (HR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.20–0.37) and surgical resection (HR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.48–0.93) were independently associated with improved survival compared with ablation. This is the first study to examine the trend of T1 HCC using the National Cancer Database, which covers approximately 70% of all cancer diagnoses in the United States, using robust statistical analyses. Limitations of the study include a retrospective study design using administrative data and some pertinent data that were not available. Conclusions: Despite increases over time, <10% of HCCs are detected at T1 stage. The strongest correlates of survival among patients with T1 HCC are receiving care at an academic institution and surgical treatment.

Vertebral degenerative disc disease severity evaluation using random forest classification

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hector E. Munoz ◽  
Jianhua Yao ◽  
Joseph E. Burns ◽  
Yasuyuki Pham ◽  
James Stieger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Random Forest ◽  
Disease Severity ◽  
Degenerative Disc Disease ◽  
Disc Disease ◽  
Degenerative Disc ◽  
Random Forest Classification ◽  
Forest Classification

Ensemble lightning prediction models for the province of Alberta, Canada

2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 421 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen D. Blouin ◽  
Mike D. Flannigan ◽  
Xianli Wang ◽  
Bohdan Kochtubajda
Keyword(s):  
Prediction Models ◽  
Convective Available Potential Energy ◽  
Rocky Mountain ◽  
Wildland Fires ◽  
Ensemble Forecasts ◽  
Lightning Strikes ◽  
Random Forest Classification ◽  
Forest Classification ◽  
Lightning Detection ◽  
Cloud To Ground Lightning

Lightning is a major cause of wildland fires in Canada. During an average year in the province of Alberta, 330 000 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes occur. These strikes are responsible for igniting 45% of reported wildfires (~450 fires) and 71% of area burned (~105 000 ha). Lightning-caused wildland fires in remote areas have large suppression costs and a greater chance of escaping initial attack when compared with human-caused fires, which are often located close to infrastructure and suppression resources. In this study, geographic and temporal covariates were paired with meteorological reanalysis and radiosonde observations to generate a series of 6-h and 24-h lightning prediction models valid from April to October. These models, based on cloud-to-ground lightning from the Canadian Lightning Detection Network, were developed and validated for the province of Alberta, Canada. The ensemble forecasts produced from these models were most accurate in the Rocky Mountain and Foothills Natural Regions, achieving hits rates of 85%. The Showalter index, latitude, elevation, longitude, Julian day and convective available potential energy were found to be highly important predictors. Random forest classification is introduced as a viable modelling method to generate lightning forecasts.

Transfusion with Cryoprecipitate for Very Low Fibrinogen Levels Does Not Affect Bleeding or Survival in Critically Ill Cirrhosis Patients

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isadore Budnick ◽  
Jessica Davis ◽  
Anirudh Sundararaghavan ◽  
Samuel Konkol ◽  
Chelsea Lau ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Disease Severity ◽  
Critically Ill ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Severity Of Illness ◽  
Meld Score ◽  
Independent Effect ◽  
Bleeding Complications ◽  
Bleeding Events ◽  
Acute Bleeding ◽  
Transplant Center

Background: Fibrinogen (FIB) levels less than 150 mg/dL have been associated with increased rates of bleeding and lower survival in critically ill cirrhosis patients. Objective: We aimed to determine if treatment with cryoprecipitate (CRYO) for low FIB levels were associated with bleeding complications or survival. Patients / Methods: 237 cirrhosis patients admitted to an intensive care unit at a tertiary care liver transplant center with initial FIB levels less than 150 mg/dL were retrospectively assessed for CRYO transfusion, bleeding events, and survival outcomes. Results: The mean MELD score was 27.2 (95% CI 26.0 - 28.3) and CLIF-C Acute on Chronic Liver Failure (ACLF) score was 53.4 (51.9 - 54.8). Ninety-nine (41.8%) were admitted for acute bleeding and the remainder were admitted for non-bleeding illnesses. FIB level on admission correlated strongly with disease severity. After adjusting for disease severity, FIB on admission was not an independent predictor of 30-day survival (HR 0.99, 95% CI 0.99 - 1.01, p = 0.68). CRYO transfusion increased FIB levels but had no independent effect on mortality or bleeding complications (HR 1.10, 95% CI 0.72 - 1.70, p = 0.65). Conclusions: In cirrhosis patients with critical illness, low FIB levels on presentation reflect severity of illness but are not independently associated with 30-day mortality. Treatment of low FIB with CRYO also does not affect survival or bleeding complications suggesting FIB is an additional marker of severity of illness but is not itself a direct factor in the pathophysiology of bleeding in critically ill cirrhosis patients.

scholarly journals COVID-19 in liver transplant candidates: pretransplant and post-transplant outcomes - an ELITA/ELTR multicentre cohort study

Gut ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. gutjnl-2021-324879
Author(s):  
Luca Saverio Belli ◽  
Christophe Duvoux ◽  
Paolo Angelo Cortesi ◽  
Rita Facchetti ◽  
Speranta Iacob ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Liver Disease ◽  
Respiratory Failure ◽  
Meld Score ◽  
Decompensated Cirrhosis ◽  
Cox Regression Analysis ◽  
Post Transplant ◽  
End Stage Liver Disease ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
End Stage ◽  
The Impact

ObjectiveExplore the impact of COVID-19 on patients on the waiting list for liver transplantation (LT) and on their post-LT course.DesignData from consecutive adult LT candidates with COVID-19 were collected across Europe in a dedicated registry and were analysed.ResultsFrom 21 February to 20 November 2020, 136 adult cases with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection from 33 centres in 11 European countries were collected, with 113 having COVID-19. Thirty-seven (37/113, 32.7%) patients died after a median of 18 (10–30) days, with respiratory failure being the major cause (33/37, 89.2%). The 60-day mortality risk did not significantly change between first (35.3%, 95% CI 23.9% to 50.0%) and second (26.0%, 95% CI 16.2% to 40.2%) waves. Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed Laboratory Model for End-stage Liver Disease (Lab-MELD) score of ≥15 (Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score 15–19, HR 5.46, 95% CI 1.81 to 16.50; MELD score≥20, HR 5.24, 95% CI 1.77 to 15.55) and dyspnoea on presentation (HR 3.89, 95% CI 2.02 to 7.51) being the two negative independent factors for mortality. Twenty-six patients underwent an LT after a median time of 78.5 (IQR 44–102) days, and 25 (96%) were alive after a median follow-up of 118 days (IQR 31–170).ConclusionsIncreased mortality in LT candidates with COVID-19 (32.7%), reaching 45% in those with decompensated cirrhosis (DC) and Lab-MELD score of ≥15, was observed, with no significant difference between first and second waves of the pandemic. Respiratory failure was the major cause of death. The dismal prognosis of patients with DC supports the adoption of strict preventative measures and the urgent testing of vaccination efficacy in this population. Prior SARS-CoV-2 symptomatic infection did not affect early post-transplant survival (96%).

scholarly journals Comprehensive Analysis of Cardiac Xeno-Graft Unveils Rejection Mechanisms

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 751
Author(s):  
Min Young Park ◽  
Bala Murali Krishna Vasamsetti ◽  
Wan Seop Kim ◽  
Hee Jung Kang ◽  
Do-Young Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Graft Rejection ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Cardiac Fibrosis ◽  
Cardiac Tissue ◽  
Inflammatory Responses ◽  
Blood Parameters ◽  
Quantitative Real Time Pcr ◽  
Porcine Heart ◽  
End Stage Heart Failure ◽  
End Stage

Porcine heart xenotransplantation is a potential treatment for patients with end-stage heart failure. To understand molecular mechanisms of graft rejection after heart transplantation, we transplanted a 31-day-old alpha-1,3-galactosyltransferase knockout (GTKO) porcine heart to a five-year-old cynomolgus monkey. Histological and transcriptome analyses were conducted on xenografted cardiac tissue at rejection (nine days after transplantation). The recipient monkey’s blood parameters were analyzed on days −7, −3, 1, 4, and 7. Validation was conducted by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) with selected genes. A non-transplanted GTKO porcine heart from an age-matched litter was used as a control. The recipient monkey showed systemic inflammatory responses, and the rejected cardiac graft indicated myocardial infarction and cardiac fibrosis. The transplanted heart exhibited a total of 3748 differentially expressed genes compared to the non-transplanted heart transcriptome, with 2443 upregulated and 1305 downregulated genes. Key biological pathways involved at the terminal stage of graft rejection were cardiomyopathies, extracellular interactions, and ion channel activities. The results of qPCR evaluation were in agreement with the transcriptome data. Transcriptome analysis of porcine cardiac tissue at graft rejection reveals dysregulation of the key molecules and signaling pathways, which play relevant roles on structural and functional integrities of the heart.

scholarly journals Doppler ultrasound in liver cirrhosis: correlation of hepatic artery and portal vein measurements with model for end-stage liver disease score in Egypt

2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Abdelrahman Mohamed Baz ◽  
Rana Magdy Mohamed ◽  
Khaled Helmy El-kaffas
Keyword(s):  
Liver Cirrhosis ◽  
Liver Disease ◽  
Portal Vein ◽  
Hepatic Artery ◽  
Meld Score ◽  
Hepatic Decompensation ◽  
End Stage Liver Disease ◽  
Cirrhotic Patients ◽  
Us Findings ◽  
End Stage

Abstract Background Liver cirrhosis is a multi-etiological entity that alters the hepatic functions and vascularity by varying grades. Hereby, a cross-sectional study enrolling 100 cirrhotic patients (51 males and 49 females), who were diagnosed clinically and assessed by model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score, then correlated to the hepatic Doppler parameters and ultrasound (US) findings of hepatic decompensation like ascites and splenomegaly. Results By Doppler and US, splenomegaly was evident in 49% of patients, while ascites was present in 44% of them. Increased hepatic artery velocity (HAV) was found in70% of cases, while 59% showed reduced portal vein velocity (PVV). There was a statistically significant correlation between HAV and MELD score (ρ = 0.000), but no significant correlation with either hepatic artery resistivity index (HARI) (ρ = 0.675) or PVV (ρ =0.266). Moreover, HAV had been correlated to splenomegaly (ρ = 0.000), whereas HARI (ρ = 0.137) and PVV (ρ = 0.241) did not significantly correlate. Also, ascites had correlated significantly to MELD score and HAV (ρ = 0.000), but neither HARI (ρ = 0.607) nor PVV (ρ = 0.143) was significantly correlated. Our results showed that HAV > 145 cm/s could confidently predict a high MELD score with 62.50% and 97.62 % sensitivity and specificity. Conclusion Doppler parameters of hepatic vessels (specifically HAV) in addition to the US findings of hepatic decompensation proved to be a non-invasive and cost-effective imaging tool for severity assessment in cirrhotic patients (scored by MELD); they could be used as additional prognostic parameters for improving the available treatment options and outcomes.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document