Hepatobiliary phase images of gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI may improve accuracy of predicting the size of hepatocellular carcinoma at pathology

2021 ◽  
pp. 028418512110141
Author(s):  
San-Yuan Dong ◽  
Yu-Tao Yang ◽  
Wen-Tao Wang ◽  
Shuo Zhu ◽  
Wei Sun ◽  
...  

Background Gadoxetic acid-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been widely used in clinical practice. However, scientific evidence is lacking for recommending a particular sequence for measuring tumor size. Purpose To retrospectively compare the size of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) measured on different gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI sequences using pathology as a reference. Material and Methods A total of 217 patients with single HCC who underwent gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI before surgery were included. The size of the HCC was measured by two abdominal radiologists independently on the following sequences: T1-weighted; T2-weighted; b-500 diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI); and arterial, portal venous, transitional, and hepatobiliary phases. Tumor size measured on MRI was compared with pathological size by using Pearson correlation coefficient, independent-sample t test, and Bland–Altman plot. Agreement between two readers was evaluated with intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results Correlation between the MR images and pathology was high for both readers (0.899–0.955). Absolute error between MRI and pathologic assessment was lowest on hepatobiliary phase images for both readers (reader 1, 2.8±4.2 mm; reader 2, 3.2±3.4 mm) and highest on arterial phase images for reader 1 (4.9±4.4 mm) and DWI phase images for reader 2 (5.1±4.9 mm). Absolute errors were significantly different for hepatobiliary phase compared with other sequences for both readers (reader 1, P≤0.012; reader 2, P≤0.037). Inter-reader agreements for all sequence measurements were strong (0.971–0.997). Conclusion The performance of gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI sequences varied with HCC size, and the hepatobiliary phase may be optimal among these sequences.

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mengqi Huang ◽  
Bing Liao ◽  
Ping Xu ◽  
Huasong Cai ◽  
Kun Huang ◽  
...  

Objective. To investigate the imaging features observed in preoperative Gd-EOB-DTPA-dynamic enhanced MRI and correlated with the presence of microvascular invasion (MVI) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Methods. 66 HCCs in 60 patients with preoperative Gd-EOB-DTPA-dynamic enhanced MRI were retrospectively analyzed. Features including tumor size, signal homogeneity, tumor capsule, tumor margin, peritumor enhancement during mid-arterial phase, peritumor hypointensity during hepatobiliary phase, signal intensity ratio on DWI and apparent diffusion coefficients (ADC), T1 relaxation times, and the reduction rate between pre- and postcontrast enhancement images were assessed. Correlation between these features and histopathological presence of MVI was analyzed to establish a prediction model. Results. Histopathology confirmed that MVI were observed in 17 of 66 HCCs. Univariate analysis showed tumor size (p=0.003), margin (p=0.013), peritumor enhancement (p=0.001), and hypointensity during hepatobiliary phase (p=0.004) were associated with MVI. A multiple logistic regression model was established, which showed tumor size, margin, and peritumor enhancement were combined predictors for the presence of MVI (α=0.1). R2 of this prediction model was 0.353, and the sensitivity and specificity were 52.9% and 93.0%, respectively. Conclusion. Large tumor size, irregular tumor margin, and peritumor enhancement in preoperative Gd-EOB-DTPA-dynamic enhanced MRI can predict the presence of MVI in HCC.


2017 ◽  
Vol 59 (6) ◽  
pp. 639-648 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yo Na Kim ◽  
Ji Soo Song ◽  
Woo Sung Moon ◽  
Hong Pil Hwang ◽  
Young Kon Kim

Background Gadoxetic acid is being widely used for detection and characterization of hepatic nodules. However, there are no data regarding intra-individual comparison of imaging features of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) on dynamic computed tomography (CT), gadopentetate dimeglumine-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (Gd-DTPA-MRI), and gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI (Gd-EOB-MRI). Purpose To evaluate typical imaging features of HCC and capsule appearance with dynamic CT, Gd-DTPA-MRI, and Gd-EOB-MRI. Material and Methods We retrospectively reviewed 56 HCCs in 49 patients. Lesion attenuation/signal intensity was graded using a five-point scale based on dynamic phase and hepatobiliary phase (HBP) imaging. Subjective washout and capsule appearance were evaluated on portal venous phase (PVP) or delayed/transitional phase (DP/TP) imaging. The tumor-to-liver contrast ratio (TLCR) was calculated. Results Gd-DTPA-MRI and Gd-EOB-MRI was graded higher than CT on arterial phase ( P < 0.001). Gd-EOB-MRI was graded lower than Gd-DTPA-MRI on PVP and DP/TP ( P < 0.05). The detection rate of subjective washout and capsule appearance did not differ among the three imaging studies on either PVP or DP/TP. TLCR of Gd-EOB-MRI was lower than CT on PVP ( P = 0.004) and was lower than Gd-DTPA-MRI on DP/TP ( P = 0.001). Conclusion Arterial phase hyperenhancement and washout appearance of HCC were well demonstrated in Gd-EOB-MRI. The detection of capsule appearance using Gd-EOB-MRI was not inferior to Gd-DTPA-MRI or CT.


Liver Cancer ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Tomoko Aoki ◽  
Naoshi Nishida ◽  
Kazuomi Ueshima ◽  
Masahiro Morita ◽  
Hirokazu Chishina ◽  
...  

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are promising agents for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the establishment of noninvasive measure that could predict the response to ICIs is challenging. This study aimed to evaluate tumor responses to ICIs using the hepatobiliary phase of gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine (Gd-EOB-DTPA)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which was shown to reflect Wnt/β-catenin activating mutation. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> A total of 68 intrahepatic HCC nodules from 18 patients with unresectable HCC and Child-Pugh class A liver function who received anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) monotherapy were enrolled in this study. All patients had viable intrahepatic lesions evaluable using the hepatobiliary phase of Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI within the 6 months prior to the treatment. The relative enhancement ratio was calculated, and the time to nodular progression (TTnP) defined as 20% or more increase in each nodule was compared between higher or hypo-enhancement HCC nodules. Then, the progression-free survival (PFS) and objective response rate (ORR) per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1 (RECIST v1.1) were compared between patients with and without HCC nodules with higher enhancement on hepatobiliary phase images. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The median PFS was 2.7 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.4–4.0) months in patients with HCC nodules with higher enhancement (<i>n</i> = 8) and 5.8 (95% CI: 0.0–18.9) months in patients with hypointense HCC nodules (<i>n</i> = 10) (<i>p</i> = 0.007). The median TTnP of HCC nodules with higher enhancement (<i>n</i> = 23) was 1.97 (95% CI: 1.86–2.07) months and that of hypointense HCC nodules (<i>n</i> = 45) was not reached (<i>p</i> = 0.003). The ORR was 12.5% (1/8) versus 30.0% (3/10); the disease control rate was 37.5% (3/8) versus 70.0% (7/10), respectively, in patients with or without higher enhancement intrahepatic HCC nodules. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> The TTnP on HCC nodules with higher enhancement and the median PFS in patients who carried higher enhancement intrahepatic HCC nodules were significantly shorter than those in hypointense HCC nodules with anti-PD-1/PD-L1 monotherapy. The intensity of the nodule on the hepatobiliary phase of Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI is a promising imaging biomarker for predicting unfavorable response with anti-PD-1/PD-L1 monotherapy in patients with HCC.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiqing Mo ◽  
Liling Long ◽  
Hao Ding ◽  
Xiaojiao Zhou

Abstract Purpose: To assess the relationship between preoperative gadolinium ethoxy-benzyl diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features and fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (FGFR4) gene expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Materials and methods: Fifty-nine HCC patients (54 males, 5 females) who underwent preoperative enhanced MRI were retrospectively enrolled in this study. Quantitative and qualitative features of Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI were analyzed in these pathologically confirmed HCC patients. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were performed to determine the mRNA and protein levels of FGFR4 in HCC. The relationship between these image features and the level of FGFR4 gene expression in HCC was evaluated by correlation analysis.Results: The FGFR4 mRNA and protein expression has significant correlation with the change of signal intensity in the phase of hepatobiliary, IHC analysis revealed significant correlation between the protein expression of FGFR4 and the qualitative enhanced MRI feature, mainly the manifestation of the intratumoral vessels at the arterial phase. Furthermore, the presence of intratumoral vessels (P =0.034, OR=4.71) and heterogeneous 3 signal performance in the hepatobiliary phase (P =0.008, OR=4.2) were identified as independent indicators for high FGFR4 expression in HCC. Conclusions: The findings demonstrate novel correlation between enhanced MRI features and FGFR4 gene expression, suggesting the heterogeneous signal intensity at the phase of hepatobiliary and the present of intratumoral vessels in the arterial phase as indicators for high FGFR4 expression in HCC. Our study may have clinical implication that enhanced MRI holds promise as useful modality in treatment selection of targeted therapies to HCC patients.


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